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Alabama Football: Week seven upsets alter SEC and CFB Playoff chances

By Ronald Evans

TUSCALOOSA, AL - SEPTEMBER 17: Fans cheer as coach Nick Saban leads the Alabama Crimson Tide out of the locker room for a game against North Texas on September 17, 2011 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images)
TUSCALOOSA, AL - SEPTEMBER 17: Fans cheer as coach Nick Saban leads the Alabama Crimson Tide out of the locker room for a game against North Texas on September 17, 2011 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images) /
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Seven weeks into the 2017 season, undefeated teams floundered. Alabama football stands tall after Top 10 shakeups.

Last week we reminded Alabama football fans and the broader world of college football to expect upsets. Week seven of college football provided them. Four Top 10 teams went down, all to unranked opponents. In those losses, Washington State, Clemson and Washington also dropped from the list of unbeatens.

The CFB Playoff committee releases the first 2017 ranking on October 31st. There are now only six undefeated Power Five conference teams.

With only two more college football weekends before the first rankings, a review of CFB Playoff history is in order. Losing a single game to a Power Five team does not knock a team out of the CFB Playoff hunt. Not even one bad loss to an unranked team. Losing two games is a deal-breaker even for a team that wins its conference.

After Auburn’s collapse in Baton Rouge, Tigers’ coach Gus Malzahn said his team still controls its own destiny. If so, the Tigers will have to make history. Auburn can still win the SEC. For that matter so can Kentucky. Even if the Tigers win out through the SEC Championship game, making the CFB Playoff is highly unlikely.

Look back to last season and Penn State. If Auburn wins out, including a single digit win against the Tide, a previously undefeated Alabama has a better chance of making the CFB Playoff. It is too early to game these scenarios.  We offer this possibility only as a reminder that winning a conference championship does not guarantee a playoff berth.

Let’s look at the Power Five conference leaders.

Atlantic Coast Conference

The ACC has one undefeated team:  Miami (5-0) in the Coastal Division.

Clemson and North Carolina State are both (6-1) in the Atlantic Division. In the Coastal, Virginia and Virginia Tech are (5-1)

Best Bet for the CFB Playoff – Miami but all four of the one-loss teams have a chance, particularly Clemson.

Big 12 Conference

The Big 12 has one undefeated team: TCU (6-0). At (5-1) Oklahoma and Oklahoma State remain in the playoff picture.

Best Bets for the CFB Playoff – TCU. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State can play their way in.

Big Ten Conference

Penn State (6-0) and Wisconsin (6-0) are the league leaders. Wisconsin should make the conference championship game. With just one loss, Ohio State, Michigan State and Michigan are strongly in the mix.

Best Bets for the CFB Playoff – Penn State and Wisconsin, plus Ohio State

Pac 12 Conference

After the stunning upsets of Washington State and Washington, the PAC 12 has no undefeated teams.

Best Bet for the CFB Playoff – USC

Southeastern Conference

Alabama football continues its march toward another championship run. Only the Georgia Bulldogs are a serious threat to the Tide gaining another CFB Playoff berth.

SEC EAST

Georgia (7-0 overall) 4-0

Kentucky (5-1 overall) 2-1

South Carolina (5-2 overall) 3-2

Florida (3-3 overall) 3-2

Tennessee (3-3 overall) 0-3

Vanderbilt (3-4 overall) 0-4

Missouri (1-5 overall) 0-4

SEC West

Alabama (7-0 overall) 4-0

Auburn (5-2 overall) 3-1

Texas A&M (5-2 overall) 3-1

LSU (5-2 overall) 2-1

Mississippi State (4-2 overall) 1-2

Ole Miss (3-3 overall) 1-2

Arkansas (2-4 overall) 0-3

Best Bets for the CFB Playoff – Alabama and Georgia

Biggest Surprises in Week Seven

  • Maybe Coach O is not a horrible head coach. Did Joe Alleva actually make a smart move, meeting with Coach O’s coordinators?
  • Auburn out-coached by LSU. Gus has not learned to let assistants make offensive adjustments. When LSU adjusted to stop the wildcat, the Tigers were done.
  • The PAC 12 is not very good (not a big surprise.)

Biggest ‘Not a Surprise’ in Week Seven

  • The Gators still need a QB.
  • The Vols still need a coach.

Next: Ten Tide Football Records that will Never be Broken

What to look for in week eight? Penn State knocks Michigan out of the playoff conversation. Auburn travels to Arkansas in a game both teams must win. Notre Dame enters the Playoff picture if it beats USC. The Vols lose to Alabama football for the 11th straight game.

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