Alabama Football: New CFBP ranking has 2 locks and 5 more teams in hunt

Alabama football was No. 1 again in the Dec. 15 CFBP ranking. Check out the two Playoff locks and the five teams with a ‘maybe’ chance.

Unlike Alabama football fans, others in college football were not happy after the next-to-last Selection Committee ranking, Tuesday night. Alabama fans have no complaints and most are sure the Crimson Tide does not have to beat Florida to be in the final four.

Outside the current top four of the Alabama Crimson Tide, Notre Dame, Clemson and Ohio State, is an abundance of dissatisfaction. The Aggies and the Gators should be relieved to be at No. 5 and No. 7. Iowa State can be encouraged by moving up to No.6. In the No. 7 – through No. 13 spots fans of almost every team feel disrespected by the Selection Committee. The most livid group is the Cincinnati Bearcats, who don’t want to hear their 8-0 record lacks quality wins.

With the exception of USC (also at 5-0), almost every team down to No. 12 Coastal Carolina is torqued by the benefit Ohio State has received from not playing. In the next-to-last ranking assessment, the Selection Committee has made it clear a 6-0, Big Ten Champion, Ohio State will be in the final four.

Absent four-touchdown beatdowns in their respective conference championship games. Alabama Football and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are Playoff locks. Clemson is in, if it beats Notre Dame, and most likely out if it doesn’t.

What team has the best chance to take a losing Clemson Tigers’ spot? The Aggies are next in line. A weak, last regular-season opponent and their best win, 8-2, Florida that lost to a 4-win LSU team, means TAMU is the least likely contender to move up. Florida still has a chance if it could convincingly beat the Crimson Tide. Even a small winning margin over Alabama football might be enough for the Gators.

The team with the best chance if Clemson loses is Iowa State. At No. 6, and after Saturday a possible 9-2 record and a Big 12 Championship, the Cyclones are poised to jump if either Clemson or Ohio State lose.

Every other program, still believing itself a contender, is confused. Georgia (7-2), Cincinnati (8-0), Oklahoma (7-2), Indiana (6-1), Southern Cal (5-0) and Northwestern (6-1) will not make the Playoff field. For a few of them, a conference championship must suffice. At 11-0, Coastal Carolina must suffer the same fate as Cincinnati, with less justification to complain.

The complete rankings are available here.

The CFBP Selection Committee will issue its final ranking on Sunday, Dec. 20 at 11:00 AM, CST.