It’s do or die time in the SEC as today brings us some very consequential November football that will force the selection committee into some serious decisions.
Two of the conference’s highly-placed teams could see their College Football Playoff ambitions effectively destroyed, or they could create a chaos scenario in which the selectors are compelled to add even more SEC schools to their upcoming bracket.
As the Week 12 college football action gets underway today, here is your latest look at how the bracket currently looks, and what games could change it this time next week.
Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images
First Round Byes
No. 1 Ohio State
No. 2 Indiana
No. 3 Texas A&M
No. 4 Alabama
First Round Games
12 USF at
5 Georgia
Winner plays 4 Alabama
9 Notre Dame at
8 Oregon
Winner plays 1 Ohio State
11 Miami at
6 Texas Tech
Winner plays 3 Texas A&M
10 Texas at
7 Ole Miss
Winner plays 2 Indiana
First team out: Oklahoma
Second team out: BYU
Brett Davis-Imagn Images
All times Eastern
Notre Dame at Pittsburgh
Notre Dame started the season 0-2, but since then has won seven-straight games and is definitively inside the bubble, but an upset-minded Pittsburgh team could end those hopes with an aggressive passing attack and a solid run defense. 12 p.m. on ABC
Notre Dame vs. Pitt prediction: Who wins, and why?
USF at Navy
USF is the best Group of Five team this week, or so says the selection committee, which named it the No. 24 team in the country. The Bulls are in a four-way tie for second place in the American heading into league-leader but still unranked Navy in a game that could throw the G5 into more upheaval. 12 p.m. on ESPN2
Oklahoma at Alabama
Oklahoma is clinging to playoff contention with two losses and following a big win at Tennessee last time out. A third loss would put OU out for good, and Alabama is just the team to do it, boasting a dynamic downfield game that could exploit a great Sooner defense. 3:30 p.m. on ABC
Oklahoma vs. Alabama prediction: Who wins, and why?
Iowa at USC
The selectors kept Iowa in the rankings, although at 6-3 it remains well outside the bubble. No. 17 USC is still hanging around, but has to be on its toes against a Hawkeye team that nearly got Oregon last week. 3:30 p.m. on BTN
Iowa vs. USC prediction: Who wins, and why?
Texas at Georgia
A rematch of the SEC Championship Game, this reunion has nearly as many playoff implications. This time, Arch Manning goes between the hedges against a stout Bulldog defense, but the lack of a Longhorn run game could spell trouble. A third loss puts current 10 seed Texas out of the playoff. 7:30 p.m. on ABC
Texas vs. Georgia prediction: Who wins, and why?
Jeff Blake-Imagn Images
Teams in bold would be in the College Football Playoff if it started today
Ohio StateIndianaTexas A&MAlabamaGeorgiaTexas TechOle MissOregonNotre DameTexasOklahomaBYUUtahVanderbiltMiamiGeorgia TechUSCMichiganVirginiaLouisvilleIowaPittsburghTennesseeUSFCincinnati
More: College football’s best Week 12 games you should watch today
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