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Alabama Crimson Tide: Bama still in the hunt in latest Playoff rankings

By Ronald Evans

TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 8: The National Championship Trophy sits on display to members of the media during the College Football Playoff National Championship Head Coaches Press Conference on January 8, 2017 at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 8: The National Championship Trophy sits on display to members of the media during the College Football Playoff National Championship Head Coaches Press Conference on January 8, 2017 at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images) /
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Alabama Crimson Tide slipped out of the top four in the latest CFB Playoff rankings but the Tide was high enough to return as the season plays out.

The CFB Selection Committee pushed the Alabama Crimson Tide out of the top four after the LSU loss. The drop was not precipitous as the Tide was ranked No. 5 in the second Selection Committee rankings.

The top four announced Tuesday evening were LSU; Ohio State; Clemson and Georgia. Following the Alabama Crimson Tide at No. 6 and No. 7 were Oregon and Utah. The remaining top ten were the undefeated Minnesota Golden Gophers (No. 8) followed by Penn State and Oklahoma.

The No. 11 through No. 15 slots were Florida; Auburn; Baylor; Wisconsin and Michigan. Check out the complete 25 team rankings.

Selection Committee chair, Rob Mullens explained the decision of placing Georgia above the Alabama Crimson Tide at No. 4 as two really good one-loss teams with Georgia’s resume and its two big wins getting the edge.

What Alabama football fans want to know is the path for the Tide to return to the top four. A Georgia loss is probably necessary. Losing to Auburn or Texas A&M would do it. A tight loss to LSU in the SEC Championship game might not be enough for the Tide to leap over the Bulldogs.

The other risks to the Alabama Crimson Tide are harder to predict. The potential Tide dream-breakers are the Oregon vs. Utah winner (unless they lose in the regular season); one-loss Oklahoma as Big 12 Champion; Baylor as an undefeated Big 12 Champion and, of course, the undefeated, and streaking up the rankings, Minnesota.

Sometimes lost in the salivating, national frenzy at the demise of Alabama football is how flawed are other teams. Baylor’s out-of-conference schedule is pathetic. Oregon not only lost, to now No. 12 Auburn, but the Ducks barely beat five-loss Washington State in Eugene. Utah lost to four-loss USC. Oklahoma lost to a three-loss Kansas State and barely beat four-loss Iowa State in Norman. Undefeated Minnesota has no serious flaws in its resume but the Golden Gophers running the table seems improbable.

Next. 25 Greatest Games of the Saban Era. dark

In the ‘shameless plug’ vein, the Bama Hammer staff correctly predicted the Tide would be ranked No. 5 this week. We look forward to a future post when we can predict the Tide is back in the top four.

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