Four 'in' for SEC

We’re passionate about college football because every moment matters. We love college basketball because of March, the month that borrows football’s significance and adds an extra touch of drama: a playoff system.

“This is our season,” Florida’s Chandler Parsons said of the final two regular-season games. “We know what’s at stake. The margin of error is getting really small now.”

We look at the SEC’s candidates for the NCAA tournament, with help from Jerry Palm of collegerpi.com, as we enter the final week of the regular season:

LSU

In or out?: In, as a 6 seed

RPI: 25

Résumé builder: Thirteen straight SEC wins

Résumé crusher: Nonconference strength of schedule ranked 245th

Palm reading: “The committee might overrate them, but I think there’s no evidence they’re better than a 6. They should win twice this week, and if they win the SEC tournament then we’re talking maybe a 4 or 5. They’re 12th in the polls this week, and that’s not justifiable. They’re the best out of a motley crew. The committee does tend to like hot teams, and they’re in a major conference. But they lost to everybody that could walk and chew gum at the same time out of conference.”

Tennessee

In or out?: In, as a 9 seed

RPI: 21

Résumé builder: Six wins vs. top-50 teams and ranked 21 in the RPI

Résumé crusher: Swept by Kentucky

Palm reading: “I think they’re in. What separates Tennessee from the pack is what they did out of conference. Tennessee would have to screw it up at this point. Of course, they’re capable of that. They haven’t been terribly consistent. But at least they tested themselves, and that’s more than you can say about any other team in this league.”

Florida

In or out?: In, as an 11 seed

RPI: 50

Résumé builder: Beat Washington and suffered just one bad loss

Résumé crusher: Lost to Georgia and is 2-6 against the top 50

Palm reading: “Unremarkable is a good word for this team. A team like Florida, a team like South Carolina, could get into the field this year because there’s not a whole lot of teams in the non-major leagues getting in other than the Atlantic-10 and the Mountain West. Creighton? Maybe. Siena? Maybe. I don’t see a whole lot of at-large teams from the non-major schools.”

South Carolina

In or out?: In, as an 11 seed

RPI: 43

Résumé builder: Swept Kentucky and won eight of 11

Résumé crusher: Nonconference strength of schedule ranked 271st

Palm reading: “Their profile is as weak as you can get. The only win of any substance is Florida, because Baylor fell off the map. They played a weak nonconference schedule and they haven’t done much in the league, really. They’ve got to finish strong.”

Kentucky

In or out?: Out

RPI: 66

Résumé builder: Swept Tennessee and beat Florida

Résumé crusher: Lost six of last nine games

Palm reading: “I have them out right now. Kentucky’s problem isn’t getting good wins. They’ve got those. But they can’t seem to get a good win without following it up with a bad loss. The game against Florida this weekend is huge, no question.”

Auburn

In or out?: Out

RPI: 78

Résumé builder: Won six of seven and beat Tennessee

Résumé crusher: Lost to Mercer and is 1-5 vs. the top 50

Palm reading: “There isn’t anyone else that’s up for an at-large bid aside from the previous five. I get asked about Auburn three times a day, and I don’t get it. I can’t talk without somebody asking about Auburn. They’re pushing 80 in the RPI. I don’t understand the optimism. Maybe they’ll win the conference tournament. It wouldn’t surprise me. There’s about 10 teams that could win that tournament.”