Alabama Football: CFP rankings good sign for Tide

Alabama football got good news from the latest CFP rankings.

The CFP rankings are out again, and Alabama football got some good news. Despite struggling against the LSU Tigers, Alabama remained second overall in the rankings behind the Georgia Bulldogs.

While these rankings mean essentially nothing, they help add context for the future. The College Football Playoff Committee foreshadows what they prioritize each year, so having multiple rankings helps us know how they are valuing the top teams. With Alabama football being second, it is clear that the Tide simply need to keep winning if they want to make the College Football Playoff.

With Alabama being ranked second overall, they may still get into the College Football Playoff if they barely lose to Georgia in the SEC Championship. Texas A&M is ranked 11th overall, so the Tide have a quality loss on the schedule. Arkansas and Auburn are both ranked, so Alabama can add a few more quality wins in the regular season. However, the only way to cement their place is to upset the Bulldogs in December.

Despite being undefeated, Oklahoma remains eighth overall. This means that they are the Big 12’s only chance of making the College Football Playoff, and they will have to run the table to make it in. If they lose a single game in the regular season, they will likely be kicked out.

Cincinnati still does not control their own destiny, but they got a boost with Michigan State slipping to seventh overall. If Alabama, Oregon or Ohio State lose another game, the Bearcats might be the first team outside of the Power 5 to make the College Football Playoff. Their best win is against ninth-ranked Notre Dame, which is a better win than Alabama’s victory against Ole Miss.

Regardless of the rankings, Alabama football’s path is simple. If they win, they’re in. If they lose, they are likely out. Even if they make it to the College Football Playoff with a loss against Georgia, they can’t win a title without getting past the Bulldogs.