College football has always thrived on chaos and David Pollack is here to double down on that. One season we’re blessed with Georgia and Oklahoma’s 2017 Rose Bowl showdown, an instant classic. The  next, the sport serves up a national title game so lopsided that you double-check the score line. Georgia 65, TCU 7 in 2022. The playoff era has delivered thrillers, blowouts, and controversies. And what did that lead to?

It’s that unpredictability, and the outcry from snubbed fanbases like Florida State in 2023, that pushed the sport to expand. After a decade of four-team debates, the College Football Playoff is expanding to 12 teams beginning with the 2024 season. Which means more contenders, more drama, and more games with everything in the line. Some coaches and fan bases voiced frustration with the committee’s decisions, but South Carolina was not among them, as the Gamecocks were not in playoff contention. Who benefits most? 

If you ask David Pollack, the answer is simple. It’s the SEC. On Southeastern 16 on August 15 with Chris Lee and Chase Robinson, the former Georgia All-American dropped a bold claim. As many as 12 SEC teams could realistically have a path to the playoff. Chris Lee teased the idea of a dozen contenders and the analyst didn’t hesitate. “I got 12. I’m right there with you. It’s fun,” he said. It could be fun for fans who crave every Saturday feeling like survival mode. But for coaches juggling portal exits and NIL promises, it’s not so fun.

David Pollack’s logic cuts into the sport’s new DNA. In the old days, you knew who the bullies were. Alabama and Georgia stacked NFL-bound players three-deep and could afford to hold on to 5-stars for years. Now, that’s history. “It used to be a few teams and that was it… I used to be like, “Okay, Georgia’s clearly the deepest team, the best team. Alabama’s clearly the deepest team, the best team.” he explained. “Well, there’s so many things now going through depth charts where I go, I don’t know. I don’t know about that spot. Like counting on a freshman, counting on a young guy. Like you’re just counting on more young guys than ever.” When your backup QB can bolt tomorrow for $250K in guaranteed NIL, there are no safety nets. Depth is thinner and the margin for error slimmer.

That’s why David Pollack’s playoff bracket features at least four SEC squads and not just the usual suspects. In his prediction, he picked Alabama. Kalen DeBoer’s second year, Ryan Williams outside, and a retooled defense with a bounce-back written all over. Next is Georgia, which remains anchored by Kirby Smart’s defense. While quarterback competition continues, the Bulldogs are expected to have one of the SEC’s top rosters. Texas takes the honor too with Arch Manning finally starting. Back-to-back semifinals say the Longhorns are here, but can they survive heavy roster turnover? Then, there’s Texas A&M. Mike Elko brings order, Marcel Reed brings juice, and the Aggies look more dangerous than people think. And there’s something else that the analyst believes is about to vanish from the sport.

Should we say goodbye to this rare playoff feat?

If you think all this SEC depth means we’re still in for those picture-perfect, 12-0 juggernaut runs, David Pollack says think again. In fact, he believes the sport’s most sacred achievement, the undefeated season, is all but extinct. “The days of undefeated seasons, I think you can kiss them bye-bye,” he said. “It’s too close. There’s too many factors now. When you even out the talent gap and now you play on the road and you’ve got injuries, it ain’t going to be surviving them like you used to because the talent is so much more spread out.” And he’s got a point. 

In the last six years, only four teams managed to run the table. Michigan in 2023, Georgia in 2022, Alabama in 2020, and LSU in 2019. That’s one team every year or two and all were loaded with generational talent. Even those squads had nail-biting escapes. Michigan needed late-game magic against Ohio State, Georgia barely held off Ohio State in a 42-41 shootout, and LSU survived Alabama in a heavyweight brawl. Now, factor in a 12-team playoff, conference realignment, and grueling nonconference slates, and perfection goes from improbable to nearly impossible. Why? 

Because one slip doesn’t carry the same consequences anymore. Drop a road game in November and you’re still alive. Lose to a rival and you can still sneak into the playoff and make a run. So what does that mean for 2025? David Pollack’s claim is a warning. The SEC is no longer top-heavy. It’s layered with dangerous teams, each capable of wrecking the other’s playoff dream. This fall, survival matters more than perfection.