Despite losing to Florida State 31-13 on the road Saturday night in Tallahassee, Florida did not fall in the penultimate edition of this year's College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday night, staying put at No. 15.

Meanwhile, Alabama remained at No. 1 as no surprise, while No. 14 Auburn, No. 21 LSU and No. 22 Tennessee all landed in this week’s rankings.

So what does this all mean for Florida’s bowl hopes?

According to the SEC’s bowl selection process, the SEC Championship winner would play in the Sugar Bowl if it were not to make the CFP top four. If the SEC title winner is in the CFP top four, then the SEC team ranked highest in the final CFP rankings plays in the Sugar Bowl. Win or lose Saturday against Florida, No. 1 Alabama is practically a lock to make the CFP top four and play first in either the Peach Bowl or Fiesta Bowl.

If Florida were to upset Alabama, currently a 24-point favorite over the Gators, UF would land in the Sugar Bowl against a Big 12 opponent. Florida is obviously out of the conversation for a CFP berth. However, if Florida loses to Alabama on Saturday, it’s very likely that Auburn would be the team in the conversation for a Sugar Bowl berth.

In the scenario that Florida would lose, the only way the debate between Florida and Auburn having the higher ranking for the Sugar Bowl could get interesting is if the Gators play an excellent game and keep it close against Alabama but still fall short.

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The highest ranking team among the SEC, Big Ten non-champions and Notre Dame after the Sugar Bowl, Rose Bowl and CFP semifinals are filled will play in the Orange Bowl, while an additional SEC team may be selected for the Cotton Bowl. However, neither Florida nor Auburn would be expected to make that cut, if the Gators were to lose this weekend.

The Citrus Bowl gets the first choice of available SEC teams after the CFP games and Sugar Bowl make their selections, but it has taken an SEC team in back-to-back years only once (Tennessee in 1995-96) since the conference affiliations of the game became SEC versus Big Ten in the 1992 season. Florida lost to Michigan 41-7 in last year’s Citrus Bowl in Orlando.

After the Citrus Bowl gets its pick, the conference office, in consultation with the institutions and bowls, assign schools to bowls in the SEC pool of six: the Music City Bowl, Outback Bowl, TaxSlayer Bowl, Belk Bowl, Liberty Bowl and Texas Bowl. After the pool of six selects, the Birmingham Bowl and Independence Bowl get their picks. Eleven SEC teams finished with records of .500 or better this year, so all of them would fill the aforementioned spots.

If Florida were to lose this weekend against Alabama, many would expect Jim McElwain’s group to land in either the Outback Bowl in Tampa against a Big Ten opponent or the TaxSlayer Bowl in Jacksonville against an ACC opponent.

The Gators have never appeared in the Music City Bowl, Liberty Bowl, Belk Bowl or Texas Bowl. Florida last played in the TaxSlayer Bowl (originally named the Gator Bowl) to cap off the 2011 season and in the Outback Bowl to close out 2010 in Urban Meyer's final game with the Gators.

The full CFP rankings (with SEC teams italicized and bolded):

1. Alabama (12-0)

2. Ohio State (11-1)

3. Clemson (11-1)

4. Washington (11-1)

5. Michigan (10-2)

6. Wisconsin (10-2)

7. Penn State (10-2)

8. Colorado (10-2)

9. Oklahoma (9-2)

10. Oklahoma State (9-2)

11. USC (9-3)

12. Florida State (9-3)

13. Louisville (9-3)

14. Auburn (8-4)

15. Florida (8-3)

16. West Virginia (9-2)

17. Western Michigan (12-0)

18. Stanford (9-3)

19. Navy (9-2)

20. Utah (8-4)

21. LSU (7-4)

22. Tennessee (8-4)

23. Virginia Tech (9-3)

24. Houston (9-3)

25. Pittsburgh (8-4)

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