Alabama Football: Bama's CFB Playoff History and Return
By Ronald Evans
For Alabama Football, New Year's Day is a return to normalcy. In the Playoff Era, the Alabama Crimson Tide is the King of CFB Playoff teams. The Crimson Tide has more appearances and more National Championships than any other program.
Alabama has played in seven CFB Playoff semifinal games and six National Championship games. The Crimson Tide is 6-1 in the semifinals and 3-3 in the championship games. The 9-4 record gives Alabama a 69.2% winning percentage in the Playoffs.
A total of 15 teams (included Texas this season) have been included in the Playoffs. Only five of those teams; Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State and LSU have won National Championship Games.
Alabama Football CFB Playoff History
- 2014 Season - In a Sugar Bowl Semifinal, the Crimson Tide lost to Ohio State, 42-35. The Buckeyes beat Oregon 42-20 to win the National Championship.
- 2015 Season - Alabama beat Michigan State 38-0 in a Cotton Bowl Semifinal. In the National Championship Game in Phoenix, Alabama beat Clemson 45-40.
- 2016 Season - In a Peach Bowl Semifinal, Alabama beat Washington 24-7. In the National Championship Game, Alabama lost to Clemson, 35-31.
- 2017 Season - In a Sugar Bowl Semifinal, Alabama beat Clemson 24-6. In the National Championship Game in Atlanta, the Crimson Tide beat Georgia in overtime, 26-23.
- 2018 Season - In an Orange Bowl Semifinal, Alabama beat Oklahoma, 45-34. In the National Championship Game in Santa Clara, Clemson beat Alabama 44-16.
- 2019 Season - In the final Selection Committee rankings the Crimson Tide was No. 13, failing to make the Playoff for the first time.
- 2020 Season - In a Rose Bowl Semifinal, Alabama beat Notre Dame, 31-14. In the National Championship Game in Miami, the Crimson Tide beat Ohio State, 52-24.
- 2021 Season - In a Cotton Bowl Semifinal mismatch, Alabama dispensed with the Cincinnati Bearcats, 27-6. The Alabama Crimson Tide lost the National Game in Indianapolis to Georgia, 33-18.
- 2022 Season - In the final Selection Committee rankings, the Crimson Tide was ranked No. 5.
In Alabama Football's eighth Playoff appearance, the Michigan Wolverines and the winner of Texas vs. Washington stand in the way of another Crimson Tide National Championship.
Note: Playoff records provided by collegefootballplayoff.com