ESPN predicts how far the Alabama Crimson Tide will advance in the College Football Playoff
The Alabama Crimson Tide are back in the College Football Playoff despite losing to the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship game.
The Alabama Crimson Tide were nervous heading into Sunday’s College Football Playoff selection show, unsure whether their 28-7 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game would knock them out of the 12-team bracket.
Alabama, however, could exhale shortly after lunchtime on Sunday. The Crimson Tide are the No. 9 seed in this year’s playoff. Alabama will travel to Norman for a first-round matchup against the Oklahoma Sooners on Dec. 19.
ESPN predicts how far Alabama will advance in the College Football Playoff
Alabama lost to Oklahoma in Tuscaloosa in November, but ESPN thinks the Crimson Tide will get some revenge in the playoff. They have Alabama beating Oklahoma 20-17 in the first round.
“The CFP begins with a rematch of a game played barely a month earlier at Bryant-Denny Stadium,” wrote ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg. “I was there and came away impressed by Oklahoma’s defensive talent and layered scheme, which prevailed in a 23-21 victory. Alabama was clearly worn down toward the end of the season, not looking impressive in its victory at Auburn, and being held scoreless for more than 47 minutes against Georgia in the SEC championship. But teams that squeak into the CFP can gain some momentum from being granted a second life…Coach Kalen DeBoer and the Tide are no strangers to this stage, and they’ll find a way to win a close one in Norman.”
A win over Oklahoma would set up Alabama for a second-round matchup against the No. 1 overall seed, the Indiana Hoosiers.
ESPN doesn’t think Alabama will get past Indiana, predicting a 24-16 Hoosiers win over the Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl.
“Indiana must lock in for an opponent that is used to the biggest of stages,” wrote Rittenberg. “Yes, it’s Alabama, but the Hoosiers have the better quarterback in Fernando Mendoza, a much better running game with multiple options, and a defense that can match up with the Tide, especially after the Ohio State win. Alabama will need some type of offensive balance to win this one, and I don’t see it happening against coordinator Bryant Haines’ ferocious defense. Indiana gets two touchdown passes from Mendoza and advances.”
We’ll see how ESPN’s prediction ages in a few weeks. This playoff, though, feels like it’s wide open. And despite Alabama’s poor showing in the SEC Championship Game against Georgia, it still has a realistic chance to make a deep postseason run.
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