LSU football: College Football Playoff chances

Jul 15, 2015; Birmingham, AL, USA; General view of the SEC logo reflected in a mirror during SEC media day at the Wynfrey Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

The SEC bias is real, and it benefits the Tigers 

SEC fans have heard this argument before, that ESPN, other sports media and the college football community in general favors the SEC over the other Power 5 conferences.

Whether or not the SEC is the best conference in the nation (they have been for the past decade, and probably still are) doesn’t matter. What does matter is that the College Football Playoff committee views the SEC as the best conference, and LSU can use this to its advantage.

The committee has always viewed SEC schools favorably. Alabama getting the No. 4 spot in the first rankings should be evidence enough of that. A one-loss SEC team bypassing undefeated teams should come as no surprise.

If any conference could get two teams in the playoff, it is the SEC. Having a diverse conference representation in the playoff is not the committee’s number one priority. Having the four best teams in the country in the playoff is.

When last year’s first College Football Playoff rankings came out, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Auburn all found spots in the top four. And while only Alabama remained at the top when the dust settled, it would not be a surprise if the committee put two SEC teams in the final four at the end of the season.

Next: Big 12