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Alabama Football: When the FBS unbeatens will start falling

By Ronald Evans

TUSCALOOSA, AL - OCTOBER 08: Big Al, mascot of the Alabama Crimson Tide, runs out on the field during pregame prior to facing the Vanderbilt Commodores at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 8, 2011 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
TUSCALOOSA, AL - OCTOBER 08: Big Al, mascot of the Alabama Crimson Tide, runs out on the field during pregame prior to facing the Vanderbilt Commodores at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 8, 2011 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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Alabama football is one of 16 undefeated FBS teams. Last season ended with only one, 15-0 Clemson. Seven could enter this post-season unbeaten.

Alabama football fans are not much interested in whether Appalachian State, Boise State or Memphis go undefeated this season. Even if all three have unblemished records, none of them will be in the CFB Playoff field.

Crimson Tide fans focus most of their attention on those teams who can potentially become post-season opponents. There will not be much clutter from the unneeded distraction of a team, like recent UCF teams, falsely claiming their unbeaten season should be compared to one achieved by Alabama football. For the record, the App State, Boise and Memphis programs are entitled to claims of being treated unfairly should they go undefeated. Let’s hope they don’t engage in UCF-type folly of trying to claim a national championship.

Fourteen of the 16 currently undefeated FBS teams are ranked in the AP Top 25. The AP ranking used to matter, but no more. It is just another of several Top 25 rankings who lose their significance on Nov. 5 this year. That is the date the first CFB Playoff rankings are released.

Much will change between now and Nov. 5 and at least one of the 16 unbeaten will lose this weekend. Odds are it will be Florida instead of LSU but upsets do and will happen. Texas could take down OU – heck even FSU could beat Clemson.

If the ESPN FPI is correct, at the end of the regular season, there will be seven undefeated FBS teams. Along with Alabama football, they are projected to be Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Georgia, Boise State and Memphis. Among the five who would then be in the CFB Playoff hunt, the SEC Championship game would propel either the Alabama Crimson Tide or the Georgia Bulldogs into the Playoff field.

It could end up with a clear Playoff field choice of four undefeated Power Five teams. The odds it will evolve so cleanly are small. However, if all goes as the FPI algorithm shows, most of the attrition of unbeaten teams will not occur until November.

In October, ESPN projects Florida (LSU), Baylor (Oklahoma State) and Wisconsin (Ohio State) will lose. The November losses will be SMU (Memphis), LSU (Alabama), App State (South Carolina), Minnesota (Penn State), Wake Forest (Clemson) and Penn State (Ohio State).

Next. The Greatest Crimson Tide Linebackers. dark

Reading this some Alabama football fans will correctly think we are getting way ahead of ourselves. Trouble lies waiting on many gamedays and nothing should ever be taken for granted.

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