College Football Playoff: Heather Dinich believes ACC, Big 12 should be ‘concerned’ by two-loss SEC teams
The first edition of the 2024 College Football Playoff rankings debuted on Tuesday night, giving fans an idea which teams are currently running toward a playoff appearance.
There’s a good deal of projection involved still based on which teams have what remaining, but the initial rankings should have two power conferences quite concerned, according to one college football insider.
ESPN’s Heather Dinich joined the College Football Playoff show breaking down the rankings and explained why the ACC and Big 12 are in jeopardy when it comes to getting multiple teams in the field.
“The two-loss SEC teams should have the ACC and Big 12’s second-best teams very concerned,” Dinich said. “As you point out, the Big 12 is in a little more precarious position, because in the ACC you have SMU hanging out there at No. 13. But guess what, that Alabama–LSU game, the loser – they’re going to drop down – but the winner, what if LSU wins? They’re No. 15 behind Texas A&M. Where are they going to go? There you go, they’re going to go up here ahead of SMU.”
SMU checked in at No. 13 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, two spots ahead of No. 15 LSU. With LSU getting a chance to knock off Alabama at home this weekend, the potential to leapfrog the Mustangs is real.
Texas A&M is another two-loss team in the mix, currently ranked No. 14. The Aggies are also a threat to the Mustangs, because they take on Texas at year’s end. That provides significant ammunition for an upward move.
“So when you’re looking at Alabama – two loss, Texas A&M – two loss, they’re ahead of Iowa State, K-State, Colorado,” Dinich explained. “That’s an issue for those teams. I think it could also be an issue for SMU because I think the winner of that Alabama-LSU game is going to stay on top.”
That leaves a very real possibility that the Big 12 could get only one team in the College Football Playoff field, as ESPN’s Greg McElroy pointed out. It also leaves the potential the ACC finds itself in the same boat, even if SMU keeps on winning.
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