He is usually the biggest Alabama football fan on the ESPN network, but Stephen A. Smith thinks the College Football Playoff Committee got it wrong with having the Crimson Tide over Miami in Tuesday’s CFP rankings.
Alabama jumped to No. 11 and Miami fell back to No. 12.
ESPN personalities detail why the CFP Committee got it right having Alabama over Miami
Warde Manuel, the CFP Committee Selection Chair, deliberated the reason why the group favored the Tide over the Hurricanes. Alabama had a better schedule than Miami that featured three victories over teams ranked in the top 25 and a 6-1 mark against teams with a winning record. The Hurricanes have no wins over schools currently ranked in the top 25 and are 4-2 versus schools with a winning record. Smith was on ESPN’s First Take Wednesday morning absolutely ‘disgusted’ with the committee taking Alabama over Miami for the playoff. He went off to Paul Finebaum and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo on why the Tide shouldn’t be in.
“It’s usually Alabama all day, every day. Not this year.” 😳@stephenasmith and @finebaum on Alabama being ranked over Miami in the latest CFP rankings 👀 pic.twitter.com/U3CZ1T3VwU
— First Take (@FirstTake) December 4, 2024
“It is usually Alabama all day, every day. Not this year,” Smith said. “I have been incredibly disappointed. You tell me what is worse: you having a bad two-game stretch –particularly losing a road game with a 21-point lead to a Syracuse — or losing to an unranked team early and then losing to another unranked team late. To me, I have a problem with the latter. You are Alabama and you go out there and lose to Vanderbilt? They are 6-6 and 11th in the SEC. Then, later on in the season you lose to Oklahoma another .500 team in the SEC. You are Miami and because of your loss to Syracuse, you drop six slots in the rankings? I got a problem with that. Alabama does not look like we are accustomed to seeing them look. Their defense has been porous and again Oklahoma, you score three points. It’s not just about losses, it’s not just about who you lost to, it is about how you lost. Miami has not had a defense all year. They cannot stop a cold, but they score in bunches. It is what they do. With Alabama, three? You score three points versus Oklahoma, versus a .500 team ranked 13th in the SEC? I’m sorry. I was disappointed that Alabama was ranked in the top 12. That is how disgusted I have been with them. I don’t think they deserve to be in the playoff.”
Regardless of Smith words, the CFP Committee values Alabama and has it in.
CBS Sports analyst details why the CFP Committee wanted Alabama in the 12-team playoff
If SMU handles Clemson in the ACC Championship Game, the Tide will clinch the 11th seed on Selection Sunday.
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Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
