How Georgia & Alabama’s final games could shape the CFP picture | College Football Enquirer

Yahoo Sports’ Dan Wetzel and Ross Dellenger are joined by Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated break down the Bulldogs’ resurgence to the top of the College Football Playoff rankings - and how the Crimson Tide could upset both team’s playoff chances. Hear the full conversation on the “College Football Enquirer” podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.

Video Transcript

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DAN WETZEL: Number one Georgia. It was so exciting this week. They jumped past Ohio State. Thrilling moment. They look deep. They look improved. Carson Beck is playing well. Big numbers against Ole Miss and Florida, for what that's worth. Big news, Brock Bowers is back. He still leads Georgia in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown catches. Oh, and they've won 28 straight. What are we feeling about Georgia here, Pat?

PAT FORDE: I'm feeling really good about Georgia. They keep showing more and more, especially offensively. They are now getting vertical. It certainly helps that Ladd McConkey is fully healthy. He's been a good deep threat for them in recent games here. And Bowers is back. They've got other receivers stepping up. And then their running game, as usual, is consistently good.

This is not as good a defensive team as the last two years. That's understandable. Look at the NFL. But this is a really good, complete Georgia team once again. And right now, they are number one. And they should be number one.

ROSS DELLENGER: Yeah, early in the year, maybe even midway through the year, I certainly had concerns. Georgia looked vulnerable. South Carolina-- you remember the South Carolina game, how much of a struggle offensively it was for them. In the first half, I think they scored one touchdown. So they looked vulnerable. And then the bye week arrived after the Vanderbilt game. And really before that, after the Auburn game, they really got rolling.

DAN WETZEL: We'll jump to seven, Alabama. So here's the situation, Alabama beats Georgia in the SEC Championship game, knocking Georgia to one loss. You could have an undefeated Big Ten champ, an undefeated Florida State, an undefeated Washington all moving up. Or maybe Oregon. I don't know how that would work. But certainly, let's say Washington wins out.

And then your fourth spot would come down to potentially Alabama or Texas. Right now, Texas is ranked ahead of Alabama. Reason? They went to Tuscaloosa and won by 10 points head to head. Texas beat Alabama. So if it comes down to this, this is pretty juicy.

If it comes down to Texas and Alabama fighting for that fourth spot, each having a loss, Texas's to Oklahoma, Alabama's to Texas, could Texas win that out and we have a playoff without the SEC? Namely, Alabama sitting at five and Georgia sitting at six, both with one loss. Pat, Armageddon?

PAT FORDE: I have a hard time seeing them taking a league that has won four straight championships, right-- is that right? '19, LSU. '20 Alabama, '21, '22, Georgia, Georgia. And saying, nope, your champion isn't going. Now you're not supposed to look at the past. Each season is a contained thing. I'm sorry, but I don't see it. I think the SEC champion is getting in.

ROSS DELLENGER: There might literally be another rebellion, another Southern rebellion. I mean literally. I do think there could be marches on Dallas at the CFP hotel. Instead of the South attacking the North, it would be attack Texas. It would be bad.