ESPN analyst shares scenario where three 3-loss SEC teams make the CFP

The College Football Playoff bracket is beginning to take shape as the latest edition of the 12-team field was released this past Tuesday. There are only two more weeks worth of games left before this bracket is finalized, so we are now learning which teams have a great chance to make the CFP and which need a lot of help.

Georgia football and Kirby Smart are in the boat where they are in position to make the CFP and just need to avoid disaster the rest of the season to guarantee their spot in the 12-team field. However, there are many other SEC teams that have some work to do and need some help just to make the field, and that includes some 3-loss teams.

While most think three losses should automatically disqualify a team from making the CFP, this year in college football has as much parity as ever before, meaning that multiple 3-loss teams have a great chance to make it in the 12-team field. In fact, ESPN analyst Heather Dinich shared a scenario where three SEC teams with three losses all make it into the College Football Playoff this season.

Scenario 1 - Texas A&M wins the SEC Championship

The first scenario that would see a three loss SECteam make the College Football Playoff is the most obvious, and that is Texas A&M winning the SEC Championship game. The five highest ranked conference champions automatically get in the 12-team CFP field, and A&M would surely be one of them if they win the SEC.

They do have a lot of work to do to accomplish that, because they have to beat Texas this weekend just to make the championship game. Then if they pull that upset off, they have to go beat Georgia in the title game.

Is that possible? Sure. Is it likely? Not at all. But this scenario does get Texas A&M in the playoff, and non-SEC fans would not be able to complain about this three-loss team making it in.

Scenario 2 - Georgia beat Georgia Tech, loses the SEC Championship

In the first scenario, Texas A&M would beat Georgia in the SEC Championship game which would put the Bulldogs squarely on the bubble of making the CFP. However, most college football experts feel confident that a team won't be punished for losing their conference's championship game because they are playing an extra game most teams don't have to.

So if Georgia receives their third loss to Texas A&M in the SEC Championship game, there is a good chance they still make the CFP with three losses.

However, this scenario only works as long as Georgia beats Georgia Tech on Friday night. A loss to the Yellow Jackets then in the SEC Championship game guarantees that UGA does not make the playoff. So Georgia has to handle their business against Georgia Tech first.

Scenario 3 - Notre Dame loses to USC

Now this is the scenario that a lot of fans around the county would be upset about, but a 3-loss Alabama team is someone that could very easily make it in the playoff.

The Tide would need a lot of help in front of them to make it in, but anything is possible especially after last week's crazy amount of upsets. Alabama is the No. 13 team in the CFP's updated rankings, which makes Alabama the second team out behind Clemson. So Clemson is a team that Alabama would need to lose. Thankfully for Alabama, they play one of the hottest teams in the country in South Carolina on Saturday, so a loss by Clemson is very realistic.

Alabama would also need at least one other upset to occur to have a chance to slide into the CFP field. And there are many other options out there as well. An Indiana loss to Purdue would do the trick as well as a Notre Dame loss at USC. SMU, Penn State and Miami (FL) are all big favorites in their games, but if they lose they could fall behind Alabama as well.

Dinich thinks the most likely scenario to get Alabama in is Clemson and Notre Dame losing, but the Tide better handle their business against Auburn first which is far from a guarantee after they lost 24-3 to Oklahoma last weekend.