quote:
Is better NOT to be in the SECCG if you're already ranked in the top-10? Say, if you're ranked #9 & lose the game, you might easily be knocked-out of the play-offs. Conversely, if you #9 but don't play, you're likely still in. Thoughts?

Most likely if you're #9 at the end of the regular season you already have a couple of losses and depending on when those losses occurred you probably ain't getting in without winning the SEC. I know that everyone thinks the playoff is going to ALWAYS have 3 SEC teams but there are going to be 4, one of which will be the SEC champ. There will ALWAYS be a group of 5 team no matter how low they are ranked because its a beauty contest with 12 winners. ND will almost always be in unless they have more than 3 losses. That leaves 6 spots. 4 conferences will get in a second team that leaves 2 open spots. Most years one of those will go to a SEC team BUT the big10, the big12 and the ACC will also be vying for those 2 spots. Given that its a committee and has nothing to do with playing the game you'd best win your conference and not have an injured QB. Most think there would have been 4 SEC teams in this year but a year ago if you said an undefeated ACC champion would not get in a 4 team playoff you'd have been thought to be insane. AS long as there is a committee involved the only sure way in is to win your conference, and then only 4 of those are guaranteed.