College Football Playoff bids abound for the SEC — but angst, too: SEC vibes rankings after Week 12: www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...

Kirby Smart has been Georgia's coach for a decade, and it took until Saturday for him to try an onsides kick. When it worked, it symbolized something big: Smart trusts this team again. And now the rest of us should. Here comes Georgia: www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...

That was the first onside kick of Kirby Smart’s tenure, per the school’s communications team.

Whoa.

Well they had to have confidence in that working.

Brett Thorson is usually a loooottt better than this. Maybe after the first two drives thought he’d have the rest of the night off.

Gunner Stockton through two drives: 10-for-11 for 103 yards and two TDs, plus two runs for 18 yards.

That was old-school Georgia defense. Been missing this season.

Zachariah Branch: 3 catches for a total of 3 yards. Everyone else: 3 catches for 54 yards including a TD. That’s related: Texas focused on shutting down the short stuff to Branch, which opened up the downfield game.

A first for Georgia in SEC play: The opponent gets a field goal on its opening possession. Six of the previous seven teams got TDs on Georgia. Kentucky came up empty. (But scored a TD on the next drive.)

Texas running the ball well on its first drive, a slightly ominous sign for Georgia.

The correct tone to take.

Georgia Tech's defense just ain't it.

Clearly Marcel Reed saw Fernando Mendoza get a Heisman moment by help putting his team in a hole then leading it back and said ah that’s the way.

Is this an epic Gamecock collapse or epic Aggie comeback? Yes.

Okay Georgia can clinch tonight if Texas A&M loses. Via the SEC:

If Texas A&M does lose this and Georgia wins tonight the Bulldogs are in great position to make the SEC championship. Not ready to say clinch because could still be three or four way ties, but if it goes to schedule strength Georgia has a leg up:

My god Gamecocks.

South Carolina: Here you go Aggies, we’re letting you back in the game. Texas A&M: (Drops passes, doesn’t punch in from goal-line, doinks chip shot FG) South Carolina:

South Carolina playing like a talented team trying to salvage something from this season. Texas A&M playing like a talented team that may have finally bought too much into its hype. Also, the dreaded 11 am home kickoff game.

Jeremiyah Love = not a bad runner of the football.

Good start by South Carolina offense, maybe you attribute it to the change in offensive coordinator, personally I attribute it to the garnet helmets.

SOURCE: Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko is finalizing a new deal that will make him a top-five paid coach in the sport and keep him in Aggieland, @theathletic.com has learned. Elko is 17-5 at A&M, including 9-0 this year, their best start since 1992. Yahoo first reported.

Hello, just in case you didn’t see the rumors, absolutely not planted by my friends and general manager, I wanted to make sure you saw the rumors, and I’m not going to dignify these rumors, other than again to make sure you saw them, and I will not pursue any NFL jobs, notice the wording, thanks.

Shameless plug alert, I’ll be on set with Paul Finebaum live from Athens at 4 ET.

Arkansas AD Hunter Yurachek has been elevated to chairman of the CFP selection committee to replace Mack Rhoads. Yurachek also has to hire a football coach so fun times for him.

Well, that’s wonderful timing.

The biggest Georgia home games this century - either because of the importance or the brand-name opponent: In advance of Texas making its first-ever trip to Sanford Stadium, I asked some Georgia people what they thought were the biggest home games since 2000: www.nytimes.com/athletic/680...

Texas: Doin’ great why ya ask.

The semifinalists for the Joe Moore award will be announced tonight at 8 ET on this stream: www.youtube.com/live/8B5Okt8...

Billy Napier was at Georgia's practice on Tuesday, Kirby Smart confirmed on the SEC coaches teleconference. Napier was Florida's coach when it beat Texas on Oct. 4. Not unusual for Smart to invite coaches who aren't busy to watch a practice, maybe offer up some advice.

Kirby Smart tried to get Arch Manning. Instead he's winning with Gunner Stockton - who's having a better year than Manning. That's the story with Smart at QB: He goes after five-stars and experienced transfers, and often gets them. Then he wins with other guys. www.nytimes.com/athletic/679...

SEC teams in the new CFP rankings: 3. Texas A&M 4. Alabama 5. Georgia 7. Ole Miss 10. Texas 11. Oklahoma 14. Vanderbilt 23. Tennessee

Georgia Tech is up to No. 16 in the CFP rankings. Pitt, which the Jackets face in two weeks, is No. 22, but plays at No. 9 Notre Dame first. Still a scenario where Georgia Tech wins out - including a win over Georgia - and makes it regardless of being in or winning the ACC championship.

Is Auburn still a national championship caliber program, or doomed to the SEC's second tier? The pros and cons, and why this hire is so important for the program's direction. www.nytimes.com/athletic/679...

Chris Hatcher gave Kirby Smart his first full time coaching job, at Valdosta State in 2002. Would imagine Smart returns the favor if Hatcher is interested.

Please, world, give us Diego Pavia in the College Football Playoff. That and a not-unrealistic SEC chaos scenario for the playoff, in this week's vibes rankings: www.nytimes.com/athletic/679...

For all playoff talk, the SEC is also still holding its championship game. With three weeks to go, here's where it stands: - Two teams control their destiny. - If one or both slips up, we may get to that fourth tiebreaker. www.nytimes.com/athletic/679...

The ACC right now is a lot of teams declining to have longer football seasons that would interfere with basketball season, and that seems good and right.

If they close this out, this would be Mark Stoops fifth win against Florida as Kentucky's head coach, as many as the Wildcats had over the Gators from 1957-2017.

Vanderbilt is now 8-2. Next it gets Kentucky at home, after a bye. Then it finishes at Tennessee. If the Dores finish 10-2 with their only losses at Alabama and Texas, they're getting in the CFP.

Now that Hugh Freeze has been fired, Auburn has resorted to the simple strategy of throwing the ball to Cam Coleman and whaddayaknow.

I don't know if it'll happen, but Vanderbilt and Diego Pavia in a first round CFP game would be INTRIGUING.

Now that Hugh Freeze has been fired, officials are letting Auburn blockers tackle defenders from behind on touchdown runs, another good reason for Auburn making the move IMO.

As someone who's spent too much time writing about and talking to people about officiating the last year, my main takeaway on the catch is what a great call by the back judge.

Indiana isn't going to miss the playoff if it loses this game. Penn State has already fired its coach. And yet that atmosphere is still amped. Exhibit 2,371 that the playoff didn't run college football.

Gus-ness is happening over in Indiana-Penn State. Suspect many Georgia fans have already migrated over.

Not sure Texas has that much an advantage getting a bye this week. Georgia is rolling in a way that it badly needed for its confidence, and will be able to rest its starters most of the second half anyway.

The only criticism of Kirby Smart there is using this maneuver against Mississippi State, in a game you're leading and look like you should win comfortably. Then again, it had to be a lot of fun.

Georgia sent the punt team out on fourth-and-3 ... then switched in the offense. Mississippi State called timeout. After the TO, Georgia sent the punt team out again ... then switched in the offense again. Mississippi State jumped offsides. A few plays later, Georgia touchdown.