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Interesting Tiebreaking Rules for SEC Championship Game Selection
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:03 pm
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:03 pm
First off, I'm not predicting the following scenario, just presenting a hypothetical situation.
Say Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Alabama all go undefeated in conference play. They avoid each other so it is theoretically possible.
Who would play each other in the conference championship game?
SEC announces football tie-breaking process
The first two tiebreakers are out because they don't play each other and they all would be undefeated in conference play.
Who gets in in this scenario?
Also, given what happened to Carson Beck in last year's championship game, as a fan of one of the schools above would you even want to play in the game or rest up for the CFP?
Say Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Alabama all go undefeated in conference play. They avoid each other so it is theoretically possible.
Who would play each other in the conference championship game?
SEC announces football tie-breaking process
quote:
In the event of a tie between teams competing for a place in the Conference championship game, the following procedures will be used in descending order until the tie is broken:
- Head-to-head competition among the tied teams
- Record versus all common Conference opponents among the tied teams
- Record against highest (best) placed common Conference opponent in the Conference standings, and proceeding through the Conference standings among the tied teams
- Cumulative Conference winning percentage of all Conference opponents among the tied teams
- Capped relative total scoring margin versus all Conference opponents among the tied teams
- Random draw of the tied teams
The first two tiebreakers are out because they don't play each other and they all would be undefeated in conference play.
Who gets in in this scenario?
Also, given what happened to Carson Beck in last year's championship game, as a fan of one of the schools above would you even want to play in the game or rest up for the CFP?
This post was edited on 10/9/25 at 2:10 pm
15
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:08 pm to TideSaint
quote:
- Random draw of the tied teams
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:08 pm to TideSaint
quote:
The first two tiebreakers are out because they don't play each other and they all would be undefeated in conference play.
Who gets in in this scenario?
really it should be Point diff vs common opponents not just head to head. That way if they are all tied, then point diff can solve it.
Then point diff vs entire SEC schedule.
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:13 pm to TideSaint
quote:
Cumulative Conference winning percentage of all Conference opponents among the tied teams
Looks like it would come down to this one in your hypothetical scenario, and in that case Ole Miss and Alabama probably get in with A&M left out in the cold.
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:15 pm to GamecockUltimate
What color are the zebras?
The last time I checked the zebras were black and white
The last time I checked the zebras were black and white
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:16 pm to TideSaint
Man if it were my team I’d pray to be the team left out. 5 seed against a G5 at home.
I get teams wanting the bye and all. But the small sample size says teams are 0-4 in the CFP coming off the bye. I’d rather get a game in to stay as sharp as possible.
I get teams wanting the bye and all. But the small sample size says teams are 0-4 in the CFP coming off the bye. I’d rather get a game in to stay as sharp as possible.
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:22 pm to TideSaint
If all are undefeated in conference play, then they are likely all in for the playoffs.
Due to the stupid playoff rules, they should just invite the next 2 who wouldn't make the playoffs in order to get an extra team in because they win the conference championship game.
OR, we just take the lowest ranked team among the 3, and allow them to play the worst team in the league, where they will obviously win. And the other 2 get an extra bye week.
I mean not really, but I think it's dumb the playoff rules would allow crap like this because of AQ status. You got 12 teams and you still want AQ status? It's ridiculous.
I'd rather Alabama skip the game as I think the bye is more valuable. In the past it was a great SoS boost for jumping into the top 2 or 4 in the BCS and early playoffs. Now it's kind of lost it's purpose, but I'm sure it's not going anywhere due to revenue generated, which is all they seem to give a shite about.
Due to the stupid playoff rules, they should just invite the next 2 who wouldn't make the playoffs in order to get an extra team in because they win the conference championship game.
OR, we just take the lowest ranked team among the 3, and allow them to play the worst team in the league, where they will obviously win. And the other 2 get an extra bye week.
I mean not really, but I think it's dumb the playoff rules would allow crap like this because of AQ status. You got 12 teams and you still want AQ status? It's ridiculous.
I'd rather Alabama skip the game as I think the bye is more valuable. In the past it was a great SoS boost for jumping into the top 2 or 4 in the BCS and early playoffs. Now it's kind of lost it's purpose, but I'm sure it's not going anywhere due to revenue generated, which is all they seem to give a shite about.
This post was edited on 10/9/25 at 2:24 pm
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:24 pm to GamecockUltimate
quote:
really it should be Point diff vs common opponents not just head to head. That way if they are all tied, then point diff can solve it.
Then point diff vs entire SEC schedule
I mentioned this preseason and everyone hated the idea.
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:25 pm to 3down10
Since we are down for speculation it would be heroic if sorry Auburn kept Bama out because they lowered Bama's cumulative winning percentage
Ole Miss would win...
quote:
Cumulative Conference winning percentage of all Conference opponents among the tied teams
Ole Miss would win...
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:39 pm to jangalang
Must be really tough to be an auburn fan if that's all you've got.
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:50 pm to fanmeister
Posted on 10/9/25 at 3:02 pm to TideSaint
quote:
Who gets in in this scenario?
Sounds to me like another claim for Auburn.
Posted on 10/9/25 at 3:33 pm to TideSaint
Honestly if you are 8-0 in SEC with this scenario, who cares if you play the SEC CCG? You're in the CFP and get one less game to incur injuries.
This post was edited on 10/9/25 at 3:34 pm
Posted on 10/9/25 at 3:38 pm to TideSaint
quote:
they all would be undefeated in conference play
Prolly won’t be any undefeated SEC teams this year much less three.
Posted on 10/9/25 at 3:40 pm to TideSaint
So the team left out is the winner because they don't have to play an extra game and get to rest up for the playoffs.
They also avoid a loss on the record.
They also avoid a loss on the record.
Posted on 10/9/25 at 3:42 pm to TheTideMustRoll
quote:I think you are correct as to the tiebreaker that would apply, but I'm not sure we can say right now how that would turn out. But, if it did turn out as you say, as an A&M fan, I'd be OK with that. I'll take an undefeated record and the week off going into the playoff pairing announcement. If Ole Miss were to beat Bama, Bama would have two losses and be behind A&M. If Bama were to beat Ole Miss, I think A&M would be ahead of Ole Miss in the playoff bracket with a better non-conference win (ND). So, it would be a no lose proposition for A&M (might well be for Ole Miss and Bama, too).quote:Looks like it would come down to this one in your hypothetical scenario, and in that case Ole Miss and Alabama probably get in with A&M left out in the cold.
Cumulative Conference winning percentage of all Conference opponents among the tied teams
Posted on 10/9/25 at 3:43 pm to TideSaint
Ole Miss might be the odd ones out getting to play KY, Ark, MSU and UF, may be too much to overcome in the cumulative percentage.
Posted on 10/9/25 at 3:47 pm to Aggie in TN
SEC champion likely gets a first round bye in playoffS, a good trade off for playing in Atlanta.
Posted on 10/9/25 at 3:54 pm to TeeteringBrink
I guess it depends on who is playing.
If Bama is steam rolling teams and your team is limping in injured, might make more sense to take a break and retain your unbeaten record.
If Bama is steam rolling teams and your team is limping in injured, might make more sense to take a break and retain your unbeaten record.
This post was edited on 10/9/25 at 3:55 pm
Posted on 10/9/25 at 4:02 pm to GamecockUltimate
quote:
Then point diff vs entire SEC schedule.
Ok so you want the SEC to be last decade’s big12? Points can come from mistakes. Shutting teams down and controlling the clock is football.
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