The current ESPN FPI Rankings have the Alabama Crimson Tide at No. 6. Before Alabama beat Auburn 27-20 in the Iron Bowl, the FPI had the Crimson Tide at No. 5. In the FPI's top 25 teams, seven SEC football teams dropped in the latest rankings. The Georgia Bulldogs dropped two spots to No. 8. Oklahoma also dropped two spots to No. 16. The only significant upward move for an SEC football team was by the Vanderbilt Commodores. After the Tennessee Vols in Knoxville, the Dores moved up three spots to No. 14.
ESPN's Bill Connelly downgraded the Crimson Tide more in his SP+ Rankings. Alabama moved down two spots to No. 12 in the SP+. Connelly's rankings punished Tennessee heavily. The Vols' 45-24 home loss to Vandy pushed Tennessee down seven spots to No. 21.
Alabama football fans will be bothered by the FPI pushing the Miami Hurricanes up three spots in the FPI to No. 7. The Canes are a potential playoff bid-stealer for the Crimson Tide.
The FPI's Playoff probabilities have six teams as locks. Alabama has the 10th-highest probability at 65.9%. The six locks: Ohio State, Indiana, Georgia, Ole Miss, Oregon, and Oklahoma range from 99.9% to 100%. Also above Alabama are Texas Tech is at 98.2%, Texas A&M is at 97.5% and Notre Dame is at 83.4%.
Alabama football fans can find assurance in Jeff Sagarin's rankings. Sagarin has Alabama as the highest-ranked SEC football team, at No. 7. Ranked below the Crimson Tide at No. 8 through No. 13 are Georgia, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Texas, and Oklahoma.
Alabama Crimson Tide Strength of Schedule
Sagarin's Strength of Schedule (SOS) rankings provide the best argument for why Alabama should be a playoff team. Alabama has an SOS of No. 8. The nine teams the playoff committee has ranked above Alabama are lower in schedule strength: Ohio State (No. 37), Indiana (No. 56), Texas A&M (No. 15), Georgia (No. 18), Texas Tech (No. 69), Oregon (No. 16), Ole Miss (No. 40), Oklahoma (No. 10), and Notre Dame (No. 32).