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ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum believes four SEC teams will make the College Football Playoff in 2024. With the playoffs expanding to 12 teams this year, many are curious as to how many Southeastern Conference teams would make the postseason.
The SEC is the premier conference, and through the first three weeks of the season, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, Tennessee, Ole Miss and Missouri all have a legit shot of making the College Football Playoff.
However, after Week 3, Finebaum thinks only four SEC teams will make the playoffs.
“I’m still going to stick with four because we can’t get hung up on the moment, and I think too often we do,” Finebaum said on the 'McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning' podcast.
Earlier, former Ohio State and Florida coach Urban Meyer had said seven SEC teams will be in this year's CFP. Discussing Meyer's comments, Finebaum said:
"Things start to happen. I think four is conservative, five is possible, seven is unrealistic. I think what Urban’s really saying there is there’s not many schools in the league (FOX) is covering here that are ultimately worthy, and I think that’s the message. But I’ll stay with four.”
If there are only four, it does seem that Texas and Georgia will guarantee two of those SEC spots. Then, it would come down to Tennessee, Ole Miss, Alabama and Missouri for the final two spots, according to Finebaum.
Paul Finebaum calls SEC school the top 'mystery team'
Through three weeks of college football action, the SEC has the top two teams in the AP Top 25 poll in Texas and Georgia. However, Finebaum believes the biggest "mystery team" is Ole Miss, as he isn't sure just how good the Rebels are.
"Ole Miss is a mystery team," Finebaum said, via On3. "They're a team that is going to factor large. In some ways I think they're the third best team in the SEC right now behind Georgia and Texas."
Ole Miss is 3-0 but hasn't played anyone of note yet. The Rebels' first true test will be on Oct. 12 on the road against LSU. They also have games against Oklahoma and Georgia.
