Georgia's SEC Championship and CFP implications after Texas A&M's improbable comeback

We could almost taste it... Texas A&M nearly suffered one of the worst losses of the season for a serious College Football Playoff contender. They were down 30-3 at home at halftime to a 3-6 South Carolina team. Rather than pack it in and go home, Mike Elko's team responded magnificently in the second half. The Aggies overcame a 27-point deficit by winning an unthinkable one at home, 31-30.

Even though the Aggies are well on their way to the playoff, Georgia could have easily taken their spot in the SEC Championship Game with a win over Texas on Saturday night. Right now, Texas A&M and Alabama are the only two teams in the SEC without a conference loss. Georgia's only loss in SEC play was at home to Alabama by three points. Georgia could have punched its ticket to Atlanta Saturday...

ESPN's Brandon Zimmerman explained it as much of what could have been a stake with an A&M loss.

Truth be told, Texas A&M was a massive favorite over South Carolina coming in, so the Aggies winning the game is not that big of a surprise. What transpired to get there absolutely was... So what we are going to do today in the lead-up to Georgia's latest biggest game of the season is to explain what needs to happen for Georgia to not only make the College Football Playoff, but play for the SEC title.

Let's unpack what all needs to happen for Georgia to get back to Atlanta to play for the SEC crown.

What must happen for Georgia Bulldogs to make the SEC Championship

Georgia has three games left to be played, but only one in SEC play. That would be the primetime affair coming up at home vs. Texas. Georgia is 8-1 on the season and 6-1 in SEC play. If the Dawgs were to beat Texas, they would finish SEC play at 7-1, improving to 9-1 on the year with only Charlotte out of the Group of Five and Georgia Tech out of the ACC remaining. 7-1 in SEC play is up for grabs.

Texas A&M only has two games left, but one in SEC play. That would be at Texas to end the regular season. If the Aggies beat the Longhorns, they will punch their ticket to Atlanta at 8-0 in league play. Alabama is still playing Oklahoma on Saturday and has one more SEC game left to be played at Auburn in the Iron Bowl. They are 6-0 in SEC play coming in, so Georgia will need them to lose twice.

In short, Georgia has to beat Texas, and for Texas to then beat Texas A&M. Georgia would make it to Atlanta over Texas A&M by way of record over common opponents. Having the theoretical win over Texas when Texas A&M does not would be how they would decide what potential 11-1 (7-1) team gets to Atlanta to presumably take on Alabama. Texas and Ole Miss are the only other teams in contention.

Georgia needs to beat Texas, who then must beat Texas A&M to make it in, or two losses by Alabama.

College Football Playoff implications for Georgia after Texas A&M's win

As far as what this win over South Carolina by Texas A&M means for Georgia when it comes to the playoff picture, all signs point to both Georgia and Texas A&M still making it in. ESPN's FPI had the Dawgs and Aggies with better than an 90-percent chance to make the playoff coming into Week 12. Alabama is above that threshold. Ole Miss is better than 75 percent. Texas is about 50/50 to make it.

With Texas A&M still in control of its SEC Championship Game destiny, as is Alabama for the time being, both would get to Atlanta as locks to make the playoff, probably as top-four seeds in most estimations. One would think the Big Ten and SEC champions and runners-up would be the top-four seeds. The only other teams that could earn a first-round bye are Texas Tech and honestly, Georgia.

Since Georgia lost to Alabama earlier in the season and does not have Texas A&M on the schedule, the chances of the Crimson Tide and the Aggies being seeded above the Dawgs is quite high. In all likelihood, Georgia is probably going to be either your No. 5 or No. 6 seed in the playoff at 11-1 (7-1) should chalk prevail. Texas Tech at 12-1 (8-1) as the Big 12 champion could possibly leapfrog UGA.

For now, let's focus on Texas and try not to dwell on what all could have been over in College Station.