With the College Football Playoff rankings released on Tuesday before conference championship weekend, Alabama’s playoff chances are becoming clearer. The winner of the Big 12 Championship between No. 16 Iowa State and No. 15 Arizona State will secure the conference’s automatic bid, while No. 5 Georgia, No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Penn State, and No. 1 Oregon all appear to be playoff locks. Additionally, the winner of the Group of 5 matchup between No. 20 UNLV and No. 10 Boise State will earn a playoff spot.
Alabama, ranked No. 11, faces a crucial decision in the ACC Championship between Clemson and SMU. If SMU wins, Alabama will make the playoff. However, if Clemson wins, Alabama’s chances are uncertain. The committee indicated that SMU could drop below Alabama if it loses, but only if Clemson wins decisively. The worst-case scenario for Alabama is a close Clemson victory, which might secure the Tigers’ automatic bid while leaving Alabama on the outside looking in. Teams ranked below Alabama that are not in conference championships will not have the opportunity to surpass the Crimson Tide, as the committee explained they won’t have additional data points to improve their standings.
