There are a lot of question marks hovering around the Alabama football program. After the Crimson Tide suffered its third loss of the season, the general consensus has been that Alabama has no chance at reaching the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff.
While it might seem far-fetched, Alabama is not out of playoff contention. In the latest AP Poll, Alabama was ranked at No. 13. While that is not the ranking that will matter at the end of the season, it is a good indication of where the Crimson Tide stand. The College Football Playoff rankings will be released on Tuesday evening. If Alabama comes in at No. 13, there is reason to believe that Alabama still has a chance to reach the playoffs. This is ultimately the ranking that will matter at the end of the day.
Clearly, Alabama needs to beat Auburn this weekend and hope for some help from teams around the country. The teams that Alabama would benefit the most from them losing this weekend are SMU, Clemson, or Indiana. Let’s break down why each of these teams losing would benefit the Crimson Tide.
SMU currently sits atop the ACC with a 10-1 record and 7-0 in the conference. If the Mustangs were to lose to Cal (6-5) at home to close the season, it would definitely hinder their chances of reaching the College Football Playoff. The committee could be forced to decide between a 10-2 SMU team or a 9-3 Alabama team. SMU has two ranked wins on the season against teams that are no longer ranked. Alabama has wins against three teams that are currently ranked inside the top 25. This metric seems to favor the Crimson Tide.
Clemson is tied for second in the ACC at 9-2 overall and 7-1 in the conference. The Tigers suffered two double-digit losses to an unranked Louisville team and No. 1 Georgia to kick off the 2024 season. Dabo Swinney’s squad has beaten one team that has a record better than .500. That is a 7-4 Pittsburgh team that has struggled down the stretch. Not to mention, Clemson could lose to in-state rival South Carolina this weekend which would benefit the Crimson Tide more than any team in the country. Either way, there is a fair argument to be made that Alabama is more so a playoff-caliber team than Clemson.
Indiana has been the biggest storyline in college football this season. A first-year FBS head coach that has completely transcended the program for the better. The Hoosiers have one blemish to its record this season after suffering a loss to Ohio State over the weekend. If Indiana wins against Purdue, they are in. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. However, a loss to Purdue would likely end Indiana’s playoff chances and help Alabama in the meantime. The Hoosiers cannot afford to have a hiccup. I tend to think that the committee would favor a three-loss Alabama team over a two-loss Indiana team.
Alabama needs to have a statement win this weekend against an Auburn team that has a lot of confidence. If Alabama can win the 79th Iron Bowl, they will give themselves a chance to reach the College Football Playoff. Alabama needs to control the controllables and let the rest take care of itself. That is the bottom line.
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Brody Smoot is a team reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “follow” him on X, via @brodysmoot.
