SEC tiebreaker scenarios: How Texas A&M, Alabama, others can reach title game

US LBM Coaches Poll: Oklahoma makes its case in playoff push

Paul Myerberg breaks down the latest US LBM Coaches Poll and discusses the Oklahoma Sooners making a push for the playoff.

Sports Pulse

Perhaps as expected when the college football season kicked off a little over two months ago, the two spots for the SEC championship game remain up for grabs as the conference heads into Week 14, commonly known as Rivalry Week.

So, who will make the trip to Atlanta?

Entering the final week of regular-season competition, four teams remain in the mix for the conference championship game, including a pair of first-timers in No. 6 Ole Miss (No. 7 in College Football Playoff rankings) and No. 3 Texas A&M (No. 3 in CFP rankings). The two other programs are rather familiar with the SEC title game in No. 10 Alabama (No. 10 in CFP rankings) and No. 4 Georgia (No. 4 in CFP rankings).

REQUIRED READING: College football Week 14 predictions for Top 25 schedule on rivalry weekend

Texas A&M looks well-positioned to make the SEC title game, as the Aggies are the lone undefeated team left in the conference at 11-0 overall and 7-0 in SEC play. The Aggies just need a win over No. 16 Texas (No. 16 in CFP rankings), which has hit its stride over the last few weeks barring a big stumbling block against Georgia.

The likely team to join the Aggies in Atlanta is Alabama. Despite being on the bubble of the 12-team CFP bracket as a two-loss team, the Crimson Tide’s four consecutive wins over top-25-ranked opponents — Georgia, Vanderbilt, Missouri, Tennessee — in 21 days have Alabama one win away from returning to Atlanta for the second time in the last three years.

As for the Rebels and the Bulldogs, they could find themselves in the SEC championship game, which is set for Saturday, Dec. 6 at 4 p.m. ET inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, if they get some help from other SEC members in Week 14.

Here’s a look at each team’s path to an SEC championship game berth entering Week 14:

SEC championship tiebreakers

Alabama (9-2, 6-1 in SEC play)

• Path to SEC championship game: Beat Auburn

Despite coughing up a chance to clinch its spot in the SEC championship game back in Week 12 with its home loss to Oklahoma, Alabama still has a straightforward path to Atlanta. The reason for this is that the Crimson Tide only needs a win in The Iron Bowl against Auburn to make its first trip to Atlanta under Kalen DeBoer.

A win over Auburn and an appearance in the SEC title game could also help Alabama’s College Football Playoff picture, as it was right on the bubble at the No. 10 seed in the fourth CFP top 25 unveiling on Tuesday.

Texas A&M (11-0, 7-0 in SEC play)

• Path to SEC championship game: Beat Texas, OR Alabama loss to Auburn and Ole Miss loss to Mississippi State

Similar to Alabama, Texas A&M finds itself in a “win and you are in” situation going into Week 14. If the Aggies are able to defeat Texas on Black Friday, Mike Elko’s squad will be heading to the SEC championship game for the first time in program history.

However, if Texas A&M is unable to defeat Texas, there is another path to get to Atlanta. The Aggies would still make the conference championship game if Alabama loses to Auburn and Ole Miss loses to Mississippi State.

Ole Miss (10-1, 6-1 in SEC play)

• Path to SEC championship game: Beat Mississippi State; AND Alabama loss to Auburn + Texas A&M loss to Texas

It’s hard not to have a conversation about the postseason at this current moment without mentioning Ole Miss and Lane Kiffin. The Rebels are 10-1 on the season, hold a projected No. 7 seed in the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket and are having one of their best seasons in recent program history.

Despite that, the Rebels’ path to Atlanta might be the most difficult one among the four teams in the mix, especially among the one-loss SEC teams. To make its first conference championship game, Ole Miss not only needs to defeat Mississippi State in The Egg Bowl, but the Rebels will also need an Alabama loss to Auburn AND a Texas A&M loss to Texas.

What may keep Ole Miss from making a trip is its Week 8 loss to Georgia on the road.

Georgia (10-1, 7-1 in SEC play)

• Path to SEC championship game: Alabama loss to Auburn, OR Texas A&M loss to Texas

Speaking of teams that need some help to make the conference championship, Georgia is another one of them.

To make its fourth consecutive and eighth overall trip to Mercedes-Benz Stadium under Kirby Smart to compete for another SEC trophy, the Bulldogs need either Auburn to beat Alabama or Texas to beat Texas A&M.

SEC tiebreaker rules

Here’s how the SEC’s tiebreaker rules work in order, according to the conference office:

• A. Head-to-head competition among the tied teams
• B. Record versus all common Conference opponents among the tied teams
• C. Record against highest (best) placed common Conference opponent in the Conference standings, and proceeding through the Conference standings among the tied teams
• D. Cumulative Conference winning percentage of all Conference opponents among the tied teams
• E. Capped relative total scoring margin (see Appendix A) per SportSource Analytics versus all Conference opponents among the tied teams
• F. Random draw of the tied teams