There should be no controversy between Alabama and South Carolina for the final College Football Playoff spot.
If the last spot comes down to Alabama and South Carolina, there should be no debate for the committee. Alabama, after beating Auburn 28-14 to finish the regular season at 9-3, may have secured just enough to sneak into the Playoff. South Carolina’s win over Clemson and Miami’s unexpected loss to Syracuse could allow Alabama to leapfrog those teams in the rankings.
While ESPN’s Heather Dinich and CBS’ Jerry Palm still have Miami ahead of Alabama, this is a short-sighted perspective. Despite Miami having one fewer loss, the committee previously ranked Alabama higher than Miami even with an extra loss—just two weeks ago, Alabama was four spots above a one-loss Miami.
Next week’s ACC Championship will be crucial, as a Clemson win over SMU could deny Alabama a spot, but SMU, at 11-1, has earned its place and shouldn’t be penalized for an extra game Alabama didn’t play.
The real contention may come between Alabama and South Carolina for the 12th and final spot. Although South Carolina has been on a hot streak, winning six straight to end the regular season, their resume is comparable to Alabama’s with three ranked wins—Texas A&M, Missouri, and Clemson.
However, if the committee follows its usual logic, head-to-head results should be a key factor. Alabama defeated South Carolina 27-25 earlier in the season, making the debate clear: Alabama should have the edge.
Additionally, South Carolina’s loss to Ole Miss, a team that ranks just above them, further strengthens Alabama’s case. Ole Miss dominated South Carolina 27-3, and jumping over Alabama for that reason would be nonsensical.
Ultimately, if the committee values on-field results, the debate should not be between Alabama and South Carolina. The real comparison would be between Alabama and Ole Miss, though Ole Miss has a worse loss, a home defeat to 4-8 Kentucky, and only one ranked win—against Georgia.
If it comes down to a three-loss SEC team for the final spot, the choice is clear—Alabama deserves to be in, whether fans like it or not.
