College Football Playoff prediction after Alabama wins SEC title over Georgia

Where things stand in the College Football Playoff rankings right now after Alabama upset Georgia in the SEC Championship Game
College Football Playoff prediction after Alabama wins SEC title over Georgia
College Football Playoff prediction after Alabama wins SEC title over Georgia /

What a difference a few hours makes. If there was one thing that could stop Georgia from winning its third-straight national championship, it was going to be the Alabama defensive front seven applying some serious pressure. That, combined with Georgia's real decline rushing the quarterback, resulted in the biggest upset of Championship Saturday as the Crimson Tide downed the champs to win the SEC title game.

Now, let the chaos begin.

A result like that can't help but shake up the entire College Football Playoff rankings picture. Alabama's win puts the playoff selection process into what appears to be an unprecedented situation. Where do things stand in the live projections after the events of the SEC Championship Game?

College Football Playoff prediction after Alabama wins SEC title

4. Alabama. We could be in for some serious controversy here should Florida State beat Louisville in the ACC title game and finish undefeated. But the simple fact is that the selectors regard the SEC as the far superior league and a win over the back-to-back national champions that snapped a historic win streak is a greater achievement in the selectors' minds that what the Seminoles have done. The committee will find the rationalization to include Alabama, perhaps that it's one of two teams with four wins over current CFP top 25 teams.

3. Texas. The loss by Georgia means it will drop out of the final four and the Longhorns' head-to-head win over Alabama, a result the selection committee has regarded as the best all season, combined with the fact that that win looks even better given Bama's win over the Bulldogs, all but ensures that Texas should still rank ahead of the Crimson Tide.

2. Washington. The undefeated Pac-12 champion should move up one spot in the final rankings after beating Oregon.

1. MichiganAfter running through the Big Ten with arguably Jim Harbaugh's most talented roster, the Wolverines should do likewise to Iowa and its famously-awful offense for the conference title and, thanks again to Georgia's hugely-impactful loss, should move up to pole position in the final rankings.

College Football Playoff semifinal predictions

Rose Bowl Semifinal Game: No. 2 Washington vs. No. 3 Texas

Sugar Bowl Semifinal Game: No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 4 Alabama

National Championship Game prediction: Texas vs. Alabama

College Football HQ national champion: Texas


More college football from SI: Top 25 Rankings | Schedule | Teams

Follow College Football HQ: Bookmark | Rankings | Picks


Published
James Parks
JAMES PARKS

James Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He previously covered football for 247Sports and CBS Interactive. College Football HQ joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022.