Alabama Football: Selection Committee holds to form with Tide and SEC value

Alabama football remained on top of the College Football Selection Committee Top 25, again Tuesday. In fact, the top eight teams were unchanged in the fourth committee rankings.

The College Football Playoff Selection Committee left its top eight teams intact Tuesday night, with Alabama football at No.1 as expected. The Committee is immune to any other set of rankings and oblivious to the Alabama football fatigue prevalent throughout the landscape of college football.

As college football fans learned last season, the Committee uses multiple points of evaluation for teams, but for a single purpose. That purpose is, in the end, to select the four best teams in college football.

The Committee continues to highly value the quality of football played in the SEC. Last week, in the third Top 25 published by the Committee, the SEC had six teams. The week before, in the Committee’s second ranking, there were seven SEC teams. The latest ranking includes seven SEC teams again in the Top 25. Returning to the Top 25 this week are the Texas A&M Aggies, at No. 22.

Other conferences cannot match the SEC. Check out the results of the fourth Selection Committee Rankings. The SEC again has three of the top seven teams. The SEC also has six of the top 18 teams.

In the Top 25, Power Five teams make up 21 of the 25 slots. Following the SEC’s seven selections are the Big 12 and the B1G with four teams. The ACC and the PAC12 each have three teams. Three Group of Five teams and Notre Dame fill out the Top 25.

Much to the chagrin of fans outside the SEC, the Committee’s opinions trump all others.

The Southeastern Conference  has:

• The highest ranked undefeated team: Alabama
• The second highest ranked one-loss team: Georgia
• The highest ranked two-loss team: LSU, who is ranked above two, one-loss, Power Five teams (Washington State and Ohio State) and an undefeated team (UCF).
• The highest ranked 3-loss team: Florida
• The highest ranked 4-loss team: Mississippi State

What this means for Alabama football

The rankings clearly show the Committee’s belief in the strength of SEC football. Much to the ire of Oklahoma, Washington State, Central Florida, even Michigan fans, the Committee’s high value on SEC competition may provide a buffer for Alabama football. If LSU and Mississippi State continue to win, the Alabama Crimson Tide is positioned to survive a loss to Auburn or Georgia.

That one-loss buffer is not guaranteed. All the SEC love could flip in any weekend. An LSU win over the Aggies and a Mississippi State win in the Egg Bowl could be significant. Alabama fans should root for the Bengal Tigers and the Bulldogs, regardless of normal preferences.

The Selection Committee will publish two more iterations of its Top 25 rankings. They will be released next Tuesday and the final selection on Sun. Dec. 2.