Georgia earned the bye, but which SEC team received the best College Football Playoff draw? That’s difficult to answer. The second-seeded Bulldogs are one step closer to the national championship game than either Texas (No. 5 seed) or Tennessee (No. 9 seed).

However, Texas will open at home against 12th-seeded Clemson, the playoff’s only three-loss team, before a potential quarterfinal against Arizona State, which is seeded No. 4 but ranked No. 12.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate which SEC team received the best avenue to be the last team standing in the CFP.

They agree Tennessee received the toughest draw, but disagree on whether Georgia or Texas landed the better bracket position.

Later in the episode, they react to Oklahoma’s transfer exodus and weigh in on Auburn nabbing transfer quarterback Jackson Arnold.

Finally, first-round CFP picks against the spread!

Missing the inaugural 12-team playoff leaves Alabama feeling out of sorts - and evaluating its schedule.

In the wake of the College Football Playoff selection committee choosing SMU over Alabama for the final playoff bid, UA athletics director Greg Byrne indicated the football program will consider watering down its future non-conference schedules. 

Never mind that Alabama's three losses came against conference opponents.

On today's episode, host Blake Toppmeyer of the USA TODAY Network is joined by Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa News as they debate the committee's SMU selection and dissect whether Byrne's stance on scheduling makes sense.

Later in the episode, they discuss whether Carson Beck's injury affects Georgia's playoff outlook, and Goodbread stumps for eliminating the SEC championship game.

Will the College Football Playoff committee have the gall to deny the Script A and the allure that comes with Alabama a spot in the 12-team bracket?

More to the point, will the committee be more interested in Alabama’s lofty strength of schedule, or its miserable showing in a blowout loss at Oklahoma?

Miami’s loss to Syracuse left a playoff spot up for grabs. Top contenders for the bid include a trio of three-loss SEC teams(Alabama, Ole Miss and South Carolina), plus Miami.

Who gets the bid?

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams evaluate the bubble and assess how the selection committee will make heads or tails of this messy web of teams. The committee tends to salivate over Alabama.

Later, they preview the SEC championship game and make their picks against the spread!

In the SEC this season, it just means more losses, more parity, fewer elite teams and a struggle to qualify teams for the College Football Playoff.

Ole Miss got swallowed up in The Swamp. Alabama suffered malice at The Palace.

Kalen DeBoer and Lane Kiffin each possessed enough talent to field a playoff team, so why are they left needing more chaos to serve them up bids to their underachieving, three-loss teams?

On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate who endured a bigger faceplant this season, DeBoer or Kiffin?

They also assess this glob of five SEC teams that are 8-3 and try to identify whether a playoff contender lurks within that bunch.

Plus, Week 14 picks against the spread, as rivalry week takes hold!

Tennessee needs help. The Vols won't be in full control of their quest for the College Football Playoff after losing at Georgia, marking Tennessee's second loss.

And while Tennessee retains multiple avenues to receive an assist into the playoff, the most interesting one might be this: Lincoln Riley and his USC Trojans revive and beat Notre Dame in the regular-season finale, thereby spoiling the Irish's playoff hopes.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams take stock of Tennessee's playoff chances. They also debate whether Texas should be a CFP qualifier if it suffers a second loss, and they consider whether Alabama should really want to play in the SEC championship game.

They also take the temperature of Brian Kelly's warming seat at LSU.

Finally, Week 13 picks against the spread!

The CFP picture gained no clarity Saturday. In fact, it became more opaque after No. 3 Georgia fell to Ole Miss and No. 4 Miami went down against unranked Georgia Tech.

Miami and Georgia remain in the mix, but make room for Ole Miss. It’s getting crowded on that playoff bubble, and you’d need a spreadsheet to tell you who’s best in line to make the SEC championship game.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams engage with a few CFP hypothetical situations in which there are too many teams for too-few spots, and they determine who’s in and out in each situation.

The also explain why Kirby Smart will stick with struggling quarterback Carson Beck with Georgia's season on the line against Tennessee, and they unpack Florida's decision to retain Billy Napier,.

Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss have a chance to offset a loss to Kentucky from earlier this season when the Rebels face Georgia on Saturday. Oddsmakers put this game on a razor’s edge, and the Bulldogs suddenly look vulnerable.

And if Ole Miss pulls it off, then what?

The Rebels would re-enter the playoff picture and crowd the bubble, and Kiffin would remain a top choice for ravenous Florida fans who are ready to throw overboard floundering coach Billy Napier.

On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams examine this critical moment for Kiffin and Ole Miss. They discuss whether Florida could seriously pursue Kiffin if Ole Miss makes the playoff, and they weigh the candidacy of Indiana’s Curt Cignetti for Florida.

Also in this episode, a conversation on Alabama at LSU: Who needs this game more, Kalen DeBoer, or Brian Kelly? Plus, a surprising hot-seat candidate has emerged in recent weeks.

Finally, Week 11 picks against the spread!

Florida's Billy Napier still owns the hottest seat in the SEC.

The nation's most volatile conference had a quiet spin of the coaching carousel for two months. Arkansas' Sam Pittman inches his way off the hot seat. Auburn's Hugh Freeze bought himself a moment of calm by beating Kentucky.

Even the long-embattled Napier marches on in his third season with the improving Gators. Napier's about to launch into the murderer's row portion of the schedule when Florida faces Georgia on Saturday.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams apply the true-or-false test to the SEC's hot seat before evaluating a few College Football Playoff scenarios.

Also in this episode, what's the verdict: Was Texas A&M's Mike Elko casting shade at Jimbo Fisher (or Brian Kelly) or not? Finally, Week 10 picks against the spread!

The College Football Playoff bubble is becoming awfully crowded.

As many as eight teams in the SEC could finish the regular season at 10-2. The Big Ten pushes for three or more bids. The ACC and Big 12 are shaping up as two-bid leagues. Notre Dame won't go away. How would the committee wade through that mess? 

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams update their 12-team playoff projections. Within the SEC, they differ on one key team, while Adams boldly picks a Big Ten sleeper to claim the final at-large bid.

Also in this episode, an examination of Georgia's credentials to be labeled the "team to beat," plus an update on the race between Billy Napier and Hugh Freeze to be the first SEC coach fired. Finally, Week 9 picks against the spread!

They're starting to sweat in Tennessee. They're pulling their hair out in Alabama. They're wondering in Georgia when the mean machine broke down. And at Ole Miss? Oof. It's bleak.

Robust Texas looks like a near-lock for the College Football Playoff. Elsewhere in the SEC, it's hold on tight.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams bust out the panic meter and take a reading of Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Ole Miss, and they're pounding the panic button for one of those four programs.

Later in the episode, a temperature check on Billy Napier's situation at Florida and a discussion of who could replace Napier, if not Lane Kiffin.

And, of course, Week 8 picks against the spread!