Despite its best efforts, Alabama limps its way into the College Football Playoff

Alabama did everything it could to give the committee reason to leave it out of the College Football Playoff field, but the Crimson Tide limped its way in.

A 21-point loss to Georgia proved inconsequential for Alabama's playoff hopes. The Crimson Tide arrived in Atlanta as the No. 9-ranked team in the rankings. They remained the No. 9 team in the rankings in the final bracket reveal.

Alabama will travel to Norman, Oklahoma for a rematch against the Sooners. Oklahoma defeated Alabama in November, 23-21, in a game the Crimson Tide turned the ball over three times.

The bracket is set:

Alabama is in the College Football Playoff

In Kalen DeBoer's second season, Alabama made the College Football Playoff. It was a disappointing finish to the season, but as it should have, the SEC Championship Game could have only helped Alabama yesterday. As bad as the Crimson Tide played, the committee didn't punish them for having to play an extra game that others didn't.

That's how it should have been. Alabama didn't look like a playoff team yesterday, but they also had the misfortune of running into one of the two or three best teams in the country while Miami, Notre Dame, and others got to sit out.

This decision saves conference championship weekend. An Alabama exclusion would have led to the end of them.

Alabama will now have a couple of weeks to get healthy and work out the kinks before facing off with Oklahoma in Norman with a chance to avenge not just a loss earlier this season in Tuscaloosa, but last season's loss to the Sooners on the road.

Perhaps Ty Simpson can get back to the player we saw in the middle of the season and not the player who fans were screaming to be benched during the SEC Championship Game. Alabama should get guys like Jam Miller, Josh Cuevas, and Kam Dewberry back, while other guys who have been dinged up, such as Parker Brailsford, among a plethora of others, should be closer to 100%.

As frustrating as this team has been to watch at time this season, the main goal remains. Alabama is in the playoff field with the National Championship still in reach.