In what has been a hard-to-figure-out season of Alabama football, the Tide’s spot in the initial College Football Rankings landed right where it was expected.
The CFP selection committee placed Alabama at No. 6 in their first rankings Tuesday night, the same as Alabama’s place in Sunday’s Associated Press and coaches polls. That is the lowest Alabama has been ranked in a season’s first CFP weekly order since the Tide was also opened No. 6 in 2014, the first year of the playoff.
The usual early November disclaimer applies: everything is subject to change, and change it will.
Alabama’s next two games are on the road at No. 10 LSU and No. 11 Ole Miss. If the Tide wins both, it will clinch the SEC West and a spot in the SEC championship game — then play in Atlanta for a spot in the playoff. Lose either game and Alabama’s playoff hopes would virtually be extinguished.
That diminishes some of the the importance of this week’s rankings reveal but not all of it.
It is noteworthy that CFP committee ranked Texas at No. 24 after the Longhorns were unranked in this week’s AP and coaches polls. That speaks to the committee’s opinion on Texas and gives the Tide a road win over a ranked team in Austin. If that holds up, it would be part of an Alabama résumé that will be dissected in early December if the Tide wins the SEC and awaits its spot in the final four.
The more ranked wins on Alabama’s ledger, the better chance the Tide has being ranked No. 1. During a year in which the two playoff semifinal games will be the Peach Bowl and Fiesta Bowl, the ability to play close to home — or away from rival Georgia — could be important.
There is also value to Alabama in Tennessee being ranked No. 1 in the initial rankings. At the moment, that means Alabama’s only loss came by three points on the road to the top-ranked team in the country. That could change if the Vols lose to Georgia this Saturday, but if not, it will be a piece of information that might come into play later. What if Alabama lost another close game to Tennessee in the SEC championship game? Would the Tide have any case to be the playoff’s inaugural two-loss team?
For now, it is clear the committee is not interested in burying Alabama, even ranking the Tide ahead of undefeated No. 7 TCU.
“When you look at Alabama in the wins against Mississippi State, at Arkansas, at Texas and obviously a three-point loss at Tennessee, as a committee we decided to go Alabama 6 and TCU 7,” CFP chairman and NC State athletics director Boo Corrigan told ESPN.
Alabama realistically could climb higher next week.
The committee ranked LSU — the Tide’s opponent on Saturday night — No. 10 after the Tigers were slotted No. 15 in the AP poll and No. 17 in the coaches poll. A road win over a top-10 foe could give Alabama a more compelling case against No. 4 Clemson (at Notre Dame this week) or No. 5 Michigan (at Rutgers) when the committee reconvenes.
Mike Rodak is an Alabama beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @mikerodak.
