Georgia, LSU lead SEC focus in AL Poll

Georgia stands among Andrew Lotz’s top two teams after Week 10, while LSU ranks as his second-best playoff candidate among five teams with three losses. Lotz kept unbeaten Utah in his top spot and argued UCLA has no reason to sit lower than No. 3.

Lotz viewed Georgia’s win in Oxford as the performance he had been waiting to see from the Bulldogs. He considers Utah and Georgia the clear top two, with favorable closing schedules that could leave them first and second in his final poll.

He also anticipates a Georgia-Alabama rematch and believes it could complicate the projection. That matchup was presented as an expectation, not as the result of a game already played.

Among the five three-loss teams, Lotz ordered the playoff chances this way: Oregon, LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Ohio State. LSU could make a strong case by beating Texas and Tennessee, both Top 10 teams, in its next two games.

Lotz still believes LSU would need help because Ole Miss could win its remaining games and finish 9-3. The Rebels would also hold a head-to-head win over the Tigers, though Lotz questioned whether their schedule would be strong enough to reach the final 12 without other results breaking their way.

South Carolina faces a steeper route in his assessment because Georgia remains on its schedule. Lotz classified the Gamecocks as a long shot alongside Ohio State, while placing Oregon first among the three-loss contenders because of its remaining schedule and possible Big Ten Championship path.

Why it matters

Lotz sees Georgia as one of the nation’s top two teams and expects the Bulldogs to remain there with a favorable closing schedule. LSU and Ole Miss are still in his playoff chase with three losses, while South Carolina faces Georgia with little margin left.

What to watch next

LSU’s next two games are against Top 10 Texas and Tennessee. South Carolina still must face Georgia, while Lotz expects Ole Miss to win its remaining games.