Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer had a simple pitch for his team making the College Football Playoff following No. 9 Alabama’s 28-7 loss to No. 3 Georgia in front of 77,247 fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the SEC championship on Saturday.
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“We can’t get worried about how much we lose by,” DeBoer said. “That’s the way I looked at this game, and if this game applies to and takes away from our resume, I don’t think that’s right. I really don’t.
“I think the precedent’s been set, and I don’t know how you can go into a conference playoff game when you’re the No. 1 seed and did all these things throughout the year and playing in this game against one of the top teams in the country as well, how that can hurt you and keep you out of the playoff.”
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Except the precedent was already set in 2017 when No. 2 Auburn lost the SEC championship to No. 6 Georgia in a 28-7 ballgame. Alabama, who lost to the Tigers 26-14 during the season, jumped Auburn in the final rankings to make and eventually win the national championship.
While DeBoer made his case for the Crimson Tide to get a favorable ranking by the committee on Sunday, a couple of former Alabama players argued the program didn’t deserve to make the CFP after a lopsided loss to Georgia.
Former Crimson Tide running back Damien Harris argued on CBS Sports that Alabama’s three-touchdown loss was disqualifying.
“Damien Harris, Alabama running back, do you think Alabama is a playoff team? No, they are not,” Harris said. “Miami, I would have a lot of confidence that they would score more than seven points against (Georgia’s) defense. Texas already did it.
“Vanderbilt, I believe they could do it. This Alabama team, specifically the offense, it did not look playoff caliber, straight up and down.”
On the Fox broadcast Saturday night, former Alabama running back Mark Ingram II argued No. 12 Miami and No. 10 Notre Dame should jump his former school after the result of the SEC championship.
“Bama, play Georgia in the SEC championship, you lose by 21? I got too much Bama in me, but you’re out,” Ingram said. “Now, Miami and Notre Dame should both get in–in my opinion.”
Crimson Tide fans might not appreciate those comments coming from former stars of the program.
Alabama, Notre Dame and Miami all have reason to be nervous before the final rankings are released.
For Miami to make the CFP, the selection committee would have to punish No. 11 BYU for losing 34-7 to No. 4 Texas Tech in the Big 12 championship. Would the committee penalize BYU but not Alabama?
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