If the season ended today, Alabama football would be headed to South Bend, Indiana to face off with Notre Dame in the first round of the College Football Playoff. On Tuesday, Alabama moved up to No. 7 in the committee rankings, but due to the top four being reserved for projected conference champions, Alabama slid down to the No. 9 seed.
Awaiting the Crimson Tide would be the No. 8 seeded Fighting Irish. Notre Dame remains in front of Alabama with only one loss even though that defeat came at home to the hands of Northern Illinois. Notre Dame continues getting the benefit of the doubt despite not playing a true road game since the third game of the season.
The Irish have gotten a lot of mileage out of its season-opening victory over Texas A&M in College Station. It also has a win over Louisville, but it's a list of also-rans after that.
I know fans would be interested to see Alabama forced to play in the frigid temperatures of South Bend in December because everyone knows winter just doesn't exist in Tuscaloosa. It's a tropical paradise.
So what would happen if Alabama meets Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff? Well, almost certainly what happened the last two times the schools met on the gridiron.
In January of 2013, Alabama and Notre Dame met in Miami for the BCS National Championship and the Crimson Tide outclassed the Irish to the tune of a 42-14 win that wasn't even that close.
Eight years later, Alabama and Notre Dame faced off in Dallas for the "Rose Bowl" as part of the 2020 College Football Playoff semifinals. The Irish were more competitive, but it was still a three-score win for the Crimson Tide, 31-14.
Even on the road, this game is unlikely to be any different.
Of course, Alabama has bigger goals on its mind and is hopeful that it can make it to Atlanta for the SEC Championship. A win in Atlanta would earn Alabama a first-round bye.
As things stand, Alabama would be in a good position to make a run. A win would put the Tide up against No. 1 Oregon in the quarterfinals.