Alabama controls its destiny to get to a Southeastern Conference Championship Game, but its College Football Playoff hopes need help
The Crimson Tide has seven teams ahead of it in the CFP rankings.
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Alabama has yet to establish confidence in the CFP Committee as one of the top four teams in the nation. Nick Saban’s team has yet to play a complete game, and it has the committee uncertain about moving it up. Alabama slept-walked through the first half of games before locking in during the second half. The playoff committee wants to see domination for 60 minutes from the Tide.
This is why style points and margin of victory are significant.
Style points show the committee Alabama can beat up teams.
It presents the notion that the Tide records performances of handling opponents by 17 or more points. The CFP Committee could watch the tape and see where Alabama took over games from start to finish. Alabama does not have any marquee wins where it took opponents out of their element. The games versus South Florida, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Arkansas, and Tennessee were close wins. Alabama struggled in the first half in each game, besides Arkansas, but it came out with vengeance in the second half.
The playoff committee wants to see Alabama look the same for four quarters. If it can land a marquee victory over LSU and control the flow of the matchup, it goes a long way into the committee looking at the Tide as a top-four team in the nation.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
