It hurts to say it, but this Alabama team does not need to be in the 2025 playoff field. People will argue that they made the SEC Championship Game and should not be punished for losing that game. For those who are falling on that sword, did you watch the game?
Ty Simpson was terrible, the offensive line play was abysmal, and a three-loss team playing like this in December should not hear their name called on Sunday. People will point to Jam Miller being hurt or Kam Dewberry not being available on Saturday in Atlanta, but something tells me that would not have mattered. Honestly, Alabama did not look good throughout November, and it spiraled out of control against Georgia, which saw blood in the water.
There will be many who will point to Alabama's impressive four-game winning streak over ranked opponents as to why they should still be considered a playoff team, but that argument lost its luster with how badly the Bulldogs beat the Tide in the SEC Championship Game. I will admit if it had been a normal nip and tuck game and we lost late, then I would be on board with this Tide team being part of the playoff field, or if it had only been the second loss of the season. The truth is that Florida State's loss will be our undoing, no matter how you look at it.
There will be a lot of backlash tomorrow if Alabama does not hear their name called, but just like last year, I do not understand how people can really be mad about it. A bad performance in a conference championship game when you already have two losses going into the game should get you no goodwill from the committee. Even if being moved up over Notre Dame this past Tuesday saves this team from missing a second straight playoff, based on how the last month has looked, who is this team beating? I would love to be proven wrong, but it just seems like there are far too many red flags pointing to a disastrous ending with a quick exit.