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Why Alabama moved up two spots in the Playoff rankings with a lurking Tennessee getting a bigger bump

Two rankings in, Alabama is in great position for a Playoff bye and a home quarterfinal game.
ByRonald Evans
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Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In the latest CFB Playoff rankings, Alabama moved up to No. 3. If the two-spot bump were the last ranking, the Crimson Tide would get a bye and host a quarterfinal game.

Tennessee's dominating win over Kentucky boosted the Vols five spots to No. 8. The Wildcats dropped five spots to No. 11. LSU's loss to Alabama gave the Bengal Tigers a deep fall, down to No. 21. The biggest drop for an SEC team was Ole Miss moving from No. 10 to No. 19.

As Joey Galloway mentioned on the broadcast, the second rankings had many big moves. Miami, Notre Dame, and Indiana were also given major adjustments. Galloway said the committee could have possibly overcorrected ranking errors made in the first week.

At this point Alabama is in great shape. The Crimson Tide is a near-lock, with ESPN's FPI estimating that probability at 94.6%.

The committee will continue to be asked to justify ranking Alabama over Tennessee. Hunter Yurachek was consistent with last week's comments. He cited Alabama's stronger SOS and 'Record Strength'. Again, he said Alabama has four quality wins, including beating Mississippi State when the Bulldogs had Kamario Taylor. Check out more Hunter Yurachek comments.

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Does the Selection Committee have its heels dug in about Alabama?

'Heels dug in' might be an extreme characterization, but Alabama is so likely to reach 10-2 that the committee would have little reason to downgrade the Crimson Tide. Would a third loss in the SEC Championship Game knock the Crimson Tide out of a bye? Possibly, and perhaps that would force the committee to consider Alabama and Tennessee head-to-head.

Much will change before Selection Sunday on Dec. 6. SEC teams, Texas, Tennessee, Ole Miss, and LSU, have tough games ahead. To be safe, it would help Alabama if Kentucky, LSU, and South Carolina win more games. Even if the Bengal Tigers can't get past Texas, an LSU win over Tennessee in Knoxville would take away most disagreement about Vols vs. Bama head-to-head.

Another thought goes back to Greg Sankey and his long debate with selection committees over properly ranking teams by schedule strength as much, or more, than wins and losses. This cycle will have to play out before claiming Sankey won the debate. But the Crimson Tide is ranked above an undefeated UCLA team and above six one-loss teams.

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