“Michigan really saved the season,” Finebaum said. “That was a defining moment for Sherrone Moore after we wrote them off. And my biggest takeaway has nothing to do with those two schools. It had everything to do with Texas went in there a few weeks ago and beaten them so badly which makes me even more impressed with Texas.”

The only SEC programs to have made the playoff include the Alabama Crimson Tide, LSU Tigers and Georgia Bulldogs. Programs like the Ole Miss Rebels, Tennessee Volunteers and Missouri Tigers have gotten close to reaching the playoff but have fallen short in recent years.