Heather Dinich projects 6 SEC teams in Playoff field after Week 5
By David Wasson
Published:
ESPN college football analyst Heather Dinich is bullish on the Southeastern Conference through the Week 5 action, projecting 6 league teams to make the 12-team College Football Playoff field.
Dinich has Miami, Ohio State and Oregon as her top 3 before ranking Texas A&M – which escaped visiting Auburn 16-10 on Saturday at No. 4. Ole Miss is at No. 5 on Dinich’s list after the Rebels downed No. 4 LSU 24-19 in Oxford. She then ranks Oklahoma at No. 6 despite the Sooners enjoying an idle week and being without quarterback John Mateer following hand surgery.
Dinich says Alabama re-established itself as a CFP contender and ranks the Tide and No. 8 after a gritty 24-21 victory at No. 5 Georgia. She then bumps the Bulldogs down to No. 9 after they saw their 33-game home winning streak tumble Saturday night.
Tennessee checks in at No. 11 on Dinich’s top 12 CFP contenders list after the 15th-ranked Volunteers eked out a 41-34 overtime victory at Mississippi State.
Here is Dinich’ full top 12:
- Miami
- Ohio State
- Oregon
- Texas A&M
- Ole Miss
- Oklahoma
- Florida State
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Tennessee
- Penn State
We’ll see how the teams are ranked next week!
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. He also hosts Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson, weekdays from 3-5 pm across Southwest Florida and on FoxSportsFM.com. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
