Alabama Football: No help for the Crimson Tide in week 12

Many college football experts expected one or more week 12 games would provide clarity to a muddled CFB Playoff picture. Clarity meaning that nine Playoff contenders would drop to eight or seven and maybe less. Alabama football fans were mostly unconvinced.

Actually, the Alabama fanbase is probably the least nervous among the nine (believed to be) contenders. Sure, any or all of Oregon, FSU, Washington and Texas losing would have benefitted the Crimson Tide. But, however, other teams finish, the Crimson Tide must beat Georgia. And, Alabama football fans are confident a 1-loss Crimson Tide, as the SEC Champion would never be excluded from the final four.

Confidence is a good thing. Assurance is better. Sitting at No. 8 in the CFB Playoff rankings on Tuesday is not where most Bama fans want the Tide to be.

Why Alabama Football Got No Week 12 Boost

• As expected, and to Alabama’s advantage the Georgia Bulldogs throttled the Tennessee Vols, 38-10.
• The Ohio State Buckeyes beat a mediocre, now 5-6 Minnesota team, 37-3.
• Unimpressively, the Michigan Wolverines beat a now 6-5 Maryland team 31-24.
• Florida State lost its quarterback to an apparently serious injury while beating North Alabama (UNA), 58-13. UNA is now 3-8 with one of the losses by three touchdowns to Tarleton State. To be fair to UNA, the Lions did beat Chattanooga.
• The Oregon Ducks thrashed Arizona State, 49-13. The Sun Devils are now 3-8. With Arizona beating Utah, 42-18, Oregon’s best win of the season is over the 4-loss Utes.
• Washington beat Oregon State in Corvallis, 22-20.
• The Texas Longhorns beat Iowa State in Ames, 26-16.
• Louisville’s longshot Playoff chance continued with a 38-31 road win at Miami.

Note: Scores provided by Yahoo

The Washington Huskies and the Georgia Bulldogs registered the best wins. Florida State winning a game, but losing its starting quarterback further damaged an already shaky Playoff resume.

The CFB Playoff Selection Committee might well make no changes in the top eight when the new rankings are released on Tuesday night. If there is a change, the most likely one would be switching places with FSU and Washington, moving the Huskies to No. 4.

What the committee should do is reconsider its evaluation of all the Big Ten and Pac-12 teams, given the second half of the season has shown neither conference to be as strong as previously believed. The Washington win over Oregon State is no better than an Alabama and Georgia win over Tennessee, for example.