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[Bama News]

Alabama football projected to host first round Playoff game against Big Ten opponent

On3 projects Alabama to face Indiana in the first-round of the playoffs.

rolltidewire.usatoday.com

After a second loss of the season against the Tennessee Volunteers, many people considered the Alabama Crimson Tide’s Playoff hopes to be over. But Kalen DeBoer and company weathered the storm with back-to-back ranked wins and now Alabama looks like one of the scariest teams in the country.

With remaining games against Mercer, Oklahoma and Auburn, the Crimson Tide have put themselves in a great position to make the first 12-team Playoff. There is still a path for the Crimson Tide to get to Atlanta and compete for an SEC Championship, but more than likely, they will be an at-large team this year.

Getting the first-round bye will be a massive advantage, but a home Playoff game isn’t a terrible alternative. Andy Staples of On3 currently projects Alabama to qualify as the No. 7 seed where they would host the Indiana Hoosiers in the opening round. If the Crimson Tide can get past the currently undefeated Hoosiers, they would take on No. 2 Texas in the quarterfinals.

Games against Oklahoma and Auburn can’t be treated as automatic wins but with the way Alabama is playing right now there is a reason to feel optimistic about the Tide. Coming off of their statement win against No. 15 LSU Staples said,

“The 42-13 thrashing of LSU in a CFP elimination game served as a reminder that this Alabama team is still loaded even if it doesn’t have the same consistency it showed throughout the Nick Saban era. Jalen Milroe remains one of the nation’s most dangerous QBs.”

Staples projects Big 10 Champions Oregon to secure the No. 1 seed, with No. 6 Tennessee and No. 8 Ole Miss also qualifying.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Any playoff projections out there yet for the 2027 season? Would love to see those.

 

[PurlJam]

Would not care if we missed the SECCG and made the playoffs.

 

[24and7]

We have to win out…We have to Auburn..

 

[Rsedge72]

I know, I know, I know the ranking are meaningless….. But…. If it ended today…

Ole miss could sleep walk into the final 4!!!

 

[colbyjacks]

If Bama makes the SEC championship and loses, do they still get in?

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

If Bama makes the SEC championship and loses, do they still get in?

Nobody knows... way too early at this point. But IMO, there's a lot that will happen between now and then, and it's not a black and white situation, it's 100% gray with all the intangibles and scenarios that will come to pass with without that specific scenario playing out.

 

[OldPlayer]

If Bama makes the SEC championship and loses, do they still get in?

If the top ranked SEC school prior to the SECCG loses, do they still get in?

 

[Crtuneman]

I don’t know what to hope for now. If Georgia beats Tennessee then Bama would probably be in the championship game. But it might be better for Bama not to be in the championship game. But I want Tennessee to lose just because they’re Tennessee.

 

[bamascw]

Let’s just hope Tennessee beats Georgia, and locks up a spot in the championship game against Texas, I am totally fine with making it into the playoffs with two losses

 

[TerryP]

Let’s just hope Tennessee beats Georgia, and locks up a spot in the championship game against Texas, I am totally fine with making it into the playoffs with two losses

With a VERY good chance to make it with three losses if one happened to be in the SECCG. And to go the other way, there's a VERY good chance a team with one loss won't make the playoffs. See IU with a loss to OU.

 

['65 Cobra]

Too early to tell, but there's no guarantee that we get in the playoffs if we don't make the conference championship game.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Too early to tell, but there's no guarantee that we get in the playoffs if we don't make the conference championship game.

If Bama wins the next 3 but misses the SECCG? I’ll do it. I’ll guarantee it. Ice. Cold. Lock.

 

[252BAMA]

Let’s just hope Tennessee beats Georgia, and locks up a spot in the championship game against Texas, I am totally fine with making it into the playoffs with two losses

The next time I pull for ut will be the first time.

 

[bamascw]

With a VERY good chance to make it with three losses if one happened to be in the SECCG. And to go the other way, there's a VERY good chance a team with one loss won't make the playoffs. See IU with a loss to OU.

It just makes me nervous about having three losses, even if the third loss is to the SEC champion in the championship game. With the Indiana sitting back there with that cake schedule, BYU, Notre Dame, I just don’t want to give them any reason to leave Alabama out.

 

[TerryP]

It just makes me nervous about having three losses, even if the third loss is to the SEC champion in the championship game. With the Indiana sitting back there with that cake schedule, BYU, Notre Dame, I just don’t want to give them any reason to leave Alabama out.

While there's always a first ...

History has shown the first rankings of the season focus on losses and then a few weeks in we start hearing about quality wins. By the time we're in the last week it has been quality wins along with out of conference play.

It's a different era with the playoff. It's still the same people pulling the strings.

That is how I see this ...

 

[bamascw]

While there's always a first ...

History has shown the first rankings of the season focus on losses and then a few weeks in we start hearing about quality wins. By the time we're in the last week it has been quality wins along with out of conference play.

It's a different era with the playoff. It's still the same people pulling the strings.

That is how I see this ...

That’s certainly true. I don’t believe any other program has the ranked wins we have and if Tennessee wins Saturday, it’s all moot. Indiana still has Ohio state so the big 10 is still iffy. I’d love to play Indiana in the first round though

 

[TerryP]

That’s certainly true. I don’t believe any other program has the ranked wins we have and if Tennessee wins Saturday, it’s all moot. Indiana still has Ohio state so the big 10 is still iffy. I’d love to play Indiana in the first round though

In my view:

Win in the SECCG - 100 percent they are in.
Lose in the SECCG - ESPN's FPI, and their playoff predictor, puts the number at 77 percent. (Most power rankings closely reflect theirs.)
Don't make it to the SECCG - It's going to be hard to keep out a 10-2 SEC team with that many quality wins.

 

[mando]

The next time I pull for ut will be the first time.

This!!!! No Bama fans should ever root for the viles. Also Bama should never back away from competition. If they cannot cut it then they do not deserve to be in the playoffs. I hope UGA drills the Viles and we do win out and get onto the SECCG. Accept what ever happens. We should have to earn it especially with 2 losses.