Alabama Football: Today what the Playoff Committee should do and will do

On Saturday night, it was clear how Alabama Football should be ranked by the CFB Playoff Selection Committee on Sunday. Georgia knocking around LSU to win the SEC Championship had no impact on the Playoffs. Later on Saturday, too many drives ending in field goals, rather than touchdowns gave unranked Purdue no chance to upset Michigan. Hopefully, the Selection Committee will notice the Boilermakers gave the Wolverines a better game than the Buckeyes.

Three remaining teams have credible claims of being the two other deserving Playoff teams. After losing to Kansas State in overtime, TCU can make a claim. So can Alabama Football and Ohio State, despite being idle during championship week.

TCU has a simple claim. At 12-0, it was ranked No. 3 and lost in overtime of the Big 12 Championship game. The Ohio State claim is based on wins over Notre Dame and Penn State in State College, with the only Ohio State loss to No. 2 ranked Michigan.

On a first evaluation pass, a claim by the Alabama Crimson Tide is weaker than the other two teams. The Tide’s best wins are over No. 20 Texas and No. 22 Mississippi State. And Alabama seeks to do what has never been done before – make the Playoffs with two losses.

Four two-loss teams have been ranked 5th in the final CFB Playoff rankings. No team with two losses has ever been ranked higher.

Alabama Football should make Playoff history

Kansas State did not beat TCU earlier in the season. But, in October, Kansas State led TCU, 28-10 before losing its No. 1 and No. 2 QBs to injuries. That is the Horned Frogs’ biggest win and it was gained under unusual, and for TCU, fortunate circumstances.

An argument can be made the TCU record qualifies it for the final four. But arguing it is one of CFB’s four best teams is faulty. No oddsmakers would have TCU favored in a matchup against the Crimson Tide.

Although Ohio State has just one loss, the details of that loss justify Alabama being ranked above the Buckeyes. That one loss was on its home field when, as a post-game story described, Michigan won with “stunning ease.” Without key players lost to injury, a true championship contender cannot be so embarrassed in its biggest annual game. The Buckeyes may well be more deserving of a Playoff spot than TCU, but they do not deserve one at the expense of the Crimson Tide.

If all of the above is not enough, there is more. much more in the favor of Alabama. Bryce Young was hurt in the second quarter of the Oct. 1 win over Arkansas. He missed only one game, but for five or six weeks he was limited in practices. He played against Tennessee and LSU without a healthy shoulder in his throwing arm.

Though never officially confirmed by Alabama, Bryce Young’s accuracy and throwing velocity was clearly affected for five to seven weeks. Only against Auburn, did Bryce appear to no longer be limited or hampered.

There is no argument two, regular-season losses suggest a less-than-championship-quality Alabama football team. But a counterargument can be persuasively made that with a healthy Bryce Young, Alabama is one of CFB’s four best teams.

What the Selection Committee will do

Georgia, Michigan, TCU and Ohio State will make the Playoffs. The Selection Committee will choose to adhere to the Playoff history of no two-loss team making the final four.

The Georgia Bulldogs will be relieved that instead of facing the Crimson Tide, they can feast on the Buckeyes or Horned Frogs.

Note: The Selection Day ESPN telecast will begin at 11:00 AM CST.

Alabama football fans will join Crimson Tide players in disappointment on Saturday. And it will be because of an injury, a missed field goal, and four points in two, last-play games.