Did the College Football Playoff snub Alabama?
On Sunday, the CFP unveiled its 12-team bracket. SMU clinched the No. 11 seed and will face No. 6 seed Penn State in a road game on Dec. 21. The Crimson Tide, meanwhile, were the first team out.
Unsurprisingly, choosing SMU instead of Alabama could spark controversy.
Although the Mustangs (11-2) have a better record, the Crimson Tide (9-3) faced far better competition. Per ESPN’s Football Power Index, Alabama ranks 16th in strength of schedule, while SMU is 60th.
The Mustangs lost 34-31 to Clemson (10-3) in the ACC Championship Game on Saturday. The Crimson Tide tied for fourth in the SEC, which is a superior conference.
In two of the past three seasons, a team from the SEC has captured the national championship. This year, the 12-team bracket features three SEC teams (Georgia, Texas and Tennessee).
However, Alabama’s road losses against unranked teams likely cost it. Vanderbilt (6-6) beat the Crimson Tide 40-35 in Week 6, and Oklahoma (6-6) upset them 24-3 in Week 13.
ESPN analyst Nick Saban, who won six national titles in 17 seasons as Alabama HC, said strength of schedule matters, but the committee’s decisions seem fair.
“But at the same time, I do think the best teams are in the playoff, which I think is most important,” Saban said on ESPN’s telecast, per Awful Announcing. “No coach should have any complaints about what his circumstance is in the playoff or out of the playoff because they all controlled their own destiny.”
Alabama may be a more talented team than SMU. Its roster features potential first- and second-round picks in quarterback Jalen Milroe and linebacker Jihaad Campbell.
Despite the star power, it’s fair to say the Crimson Tide have looked inconsistent throughout the season. That could be why they weren’t included in the CFP, and perhaps that’s the right choice.
