Why Ole Miss soccer avoiding SEC Championship Recreation could also be finest for CFP hopes – The Clarion-Ledger

OXFORD − Ole Miss football has an opportunity to win its first SEC title since 1963, however a visit to the SEC Championship Recreation will not be finest for the Rebels’ Faculty Soccer Playoff hopes.
Coach Lane Kiffin’s Rebels (8-1, 5-1 SEC) are No. 6 within the first set of CFP rankings launched Nov. 4. It is a good place. Groups seeded Nos. 5-8 will host a CFP first-round sport.
Ole Miss would host Virginia (8-1, 5-1 ACC) at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, in accordance with the primary bracket launch. The Cavaliers are No. 14 within the CFP rankings however can be bumped as much as No. 11 due to their standing because the highest-ranked group within the ACC.
A berth within the SEC Championship Recreation might shake up that good place. It is shaping as much as be a sport with danger and reward.
Because the schedule sits, the Rebels can be favored to win every of their last three common season video games. Ole Miss is about to face The Citadel (4-5, 3-3 SoCon) on Nov. 8 (midday, SEC Community+), Florida (3-5, 2-3 SEC) and Mississippi State (5-4, 1-4 SEC), so ending the season at 11-1 would appear to ensure Ole Miss a house playoff sport at worst.
It is doable 11-1 Ole Miss might even get a top-four seed and first-round bye with out making the SEC Championship Recreation, relying on how far the SEC and Huge Ten Championship Recreation losers fall.
A visit to the SEC Championship Recreation comes with a chance of Ole Miss ending 11-2. That loss might knock the Rebels far sufficient down within the rankings that they would not host a first-round sport or presumably would miss the 12-team playoff.
However a win within the SEC Championship would doubtless clinch a first-round bye.
“There’s rather a lot to that (making the SEC Championship Recreation), however it could be thrilling to be in it as nicely,” Kiffin stated Nov. 3. “There’s points with it additionally.”
Ole Miss has by no means performed within the SEC Championship Recreation.
There aren’t any divisions within the SEC. The highest two groups within the standings will play in Atlanta on Dec. 6 at Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Three SEC groups are ranked forward of Ole Miss within the CFP rankings. Texas A&M is No. 3, Alabama is No. 4 and Georgia is No. 5.
As a result of the Aggies (8-0, 5-0) and Crimson Tide (7-1, 5-0) are undefeated in SEC play, the Rebels are on the surface wanting in on the SEC Championship Recreation together with Georgia (7-1, 5-1) and Texas (7-2, 4-1).
No. 1 Ohio State (8-0, 5-0) and No. 2 Indiana (9-0, 6-0) have the within monitor to the Huge Ten Championship Recreation.
Kiffin additionally stated taking part in within the sport additionally comes with harm danger. Georgia quarterback Carson Beck was injured within the 2024 SEC Championship Recreation towards Texas.
“I stated {that a} 12 months in the past,” Kiffin stated. “There’s some considerations about if it’s important to play an additional sport if in case you have the playoffs after that. Take a look at the group that performed and misplaced their quarterback.”
Like his method to Florida and LSU job rumors, Kiffin remained targeted on the common season.
“We have got a protracted methods to go,” Kiffin stated. “If by some means we had been part of that, if we had been within the SEC Championship, that may be wonderful for our program that is by no means been in it. We by no means completed first when there was once six (groups) on one facet.”
Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. E mail him at Shutchens@gannett.com or attain him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_

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