They won’t admit it, that’s for sure.

However, as the final three weekends of college football’s regular season kick off this Saturday, SEC officials will be keenly monitoring the game happening in Columbus, Ohio.

If No. 2 Ohio State wins handily against unbeaten underdog No. 5 Indiana, the SEC’s chances of placing five teams in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff will significantly improve. But if Indiana manages to win or keep things close?

That could spell trouble for the SEC.

There are six SEC teams worthy of the playoff, and unless Penn State falters against Minnesota, Maryland, or if Indiana gets decisively defeated by Ohio State, we can expect four SEC teams to make the playoff. It’s frustrating enough that the CFP selection committee largely overlooks the strength of conference and schedule, ranking both Penn State and Indiana – who collectively have just one win against teams currently in the College Football Playoff rankings – in the top five.

Even worse, the committee clearly favors No. 3 Texas, which has faced only one other SEC team and lost to Georgia by 15 points at home. Alabama bested Georgia, who defeated Tennessee, who subsequently beat Alabama. Additionally, Ole Miss overcame Georgia, who in turn beat Texas – a team that has not secured any significant victories.

Do you see where this is going?

On another note, the 13-member selection committee, comprising six athletic directors and four former coaches, seems to value one-loss teams (and undefeated Indiana) more than anything else. The strength of their schedules appears irrelevant.

Notably, Indiana, the selection committee’s favorite, has the weakest strength of schedule among any team from the Power Four conferences.

“We observe games and evaluate how teams are performing, and that’s how we determine their body of work,” mentioned Warde Manuel, the selection committee chairman and Michigan’s athletic director, who practically confirmed that the eye test prevails. “Watching these teams play is what guides most of our decision-making.”

Here’s a look at three teams that are undervalued and overvalued in this week’s CFP poll.

Overvalued

No. 4 Penn State

Best win: No. 25 Illinois.

Worst loss: No. 2 Ohio State.

This week: at Minnesota.

Eye test: Two wins over Power Four opponents with winning records (Illinois, Washington), a near loss against a struggling Southern California team, and not much else. The shortcomings during critical moments against Ohio State should stick in the committee’s minds.

No. 6 Notre Dame

Best win: No.15 Texas A&M.

Worst loss: Northern Illinois.

This week: No. 19 Army (at Yankee Stadium).

Eye test: If a team ranks in the top six of the playoff standings with only three weeks remaining, they should likely be able to lose a game and still qualify for the top 12. Yet if Notre Dame loses to Army or at USC, they could fall completely out of the top 12. With an ACC-heavy schedule and games against service academies and MAC schools, Notre Dame sits at No. 6 mainly due to their victory over No.15 Texas A&M.

No. 8 Miami

Best win: Louisville.

Worst loss: Georgia Tech.

This week: vs. Wake Forest

Eye test: This is hard to believe. If you think Indiana and Penn State aren’t worthy of the playoffs, then what does that say about the Hurricanes? Their schedule is quite weak, and Miami required four second-half comebacks against mediocre teams like Virginia Tech, California, Louisville, and Duke. Consider how Miami’s resume stacks against any of the six SEC teams. It’s pretty dismal.

Undervalued

No. 9 Mississippi

Best win: No. 10 Georgia.

Worst loss: Kentucky.

This week: at Florida.

Eye test: Who would want to face this team right now? Ole Miss ranks fourth in the nation for scoring offense (40.7 points per game) and fifth in scoring defense (12.9 points per game) – making them the only team to feature in the top five for both categories. The Rebels top the nation in sacks (46) and rank 3rd in long scrimmage plays on offense (190).

No. 10 Georgia

Best win: No. 3 Texas.

Worst loss: No. 9 Ole Miss.

This week: vs. Massachusetts

Eye test: Georgia’s “worst” defeat was against the hottest team in the nation. Their second loss was to No. 7 Alabama, while they secured wins against No. 3 Texas, No. 11 Tennessee, and No. 17 Clemson. I doubt that the resumes of Penn State, Indiana, and Miami even come close to that. Committee members, please stop fixating on one-loss teams or unbeaten teams with weak schedules. Instead, focus on teams that have experienced losses against far better opponents, alongside significant victories.

No. 12 Boise State

Best win: No. 24 UNLV.

Worst loss: No. 1 Oregon.

This week: at Wyoming.

Eye test: I’m going to keep saying this until someone on the selection committee takes notice: No. 1 Oregon needed a punt return for a touchdown, a kick return for a touchdown, and a last-second field goal to beat Boise State.