Can Georgia make the College Football Playoff if Bulldogs lose the SEC championship game against Texas?

Fifth-ranked Georgia returns to Atlanta on Saturday for the SEC championship game against No. 2 Texas. The Bulldogs will be appearing in their fourth consecutive conference title game and their seventh appearance in eight years.

A win in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium will not only get Kirby Smart and his team a playoff spot, but it should also hand them a bye in the first round of the postseason tournament. However, a loss to Texas (11-1, 7-1 SEC) would mean something else for the Bulldogs in their playoff bid.

Here's a look at what Georgia's playoff hopes could be if it gets defeated in the SEC title game.

What happens if Georgia loses to Texas in the SEC championship game

After suffering two losses during the season, a defeat to Texas would make Georgia a three-loss team. This will see the Bulldogs drop in the final playoff ranking, which will be released on Sunday, but it's not expected that they will miss out on a spot in the postseason tournament.

A few 9-3 teams are currently in contention for a place in the playoffs, and they are hopeful of getting one. These include 11th-ranked Alabama, 18th-ranked Clemson and 15th-ranked Ole Miss. Irrespective of the situation, the Bulldogs are not expected to fall below these three in the final CFP rankings.

Despite an undefeated regular season in 2023, The Bulldogs missed out on the four-team playoff last season after losing the SEC championship game to Alabama. However, the CFP has been expanded to 12 teams this year, and this should guarantee them a place if they fail to claim the conference crown again.

Nonetheless, the best-case scenario for the Bulldogs is to win the SEC title. This places them in a much better position to win their third national championship under Kirby Smart. They were ranked No. 7 in the previous CFP rankings and are expected to rise in the next release on Tuesday.

Who is favored to win Texas vs. Georgia?

Considering the strength and performance of both Texas and Georgia, predicting the winner is no easy task. The Longhorns' sole loss of the regular season occurred in Austin, where the Bulldogs' defense dominated the explosive Texas offense 30-15.

Despite the result of their previous encounter, the oddsmakers are favoring Texas to come out on top in the rematch. The Longhorns opened the betting line as a 2.5-point favorite for the high-stakes contest with the total points set at 48.5 points.