Joel Klatt evaluates chance Alabama wins SEC title, misses CFP

Based on the newest set of College Football Playoff Rankings, Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt makes the case that a 13-1 SEC champion Alabama squad could somehow be left out.

Currently, the Crimson Tide fall in at eighth in the most recent set of rankings, released this past Tuesday. Ohio State, Georgia, Michigan and Florida State occupy the top four while Washington, Oregon and Texas came in just ahead of Alabama at Nos. 5, 6 and 7.

With that setup, Klatt just doesn’t see an easy way to include the Tide in the field.

“Let’s just say, like sake of argument, Texas, ‘Bama, Oregon all go 12-1 and they are champs — one of those three is going to get left out,” he asserted on The Joel Klatt Show this week.

“And this is what’s interesting about the rankings as they were given to us last night. The likely team out, based on the way the committee views these teams currently, would be Alabama, the SEC Champion.”

He continued, noting that not only could Alabama miss even if they did win the SEC, but by beating Georgia in the SEC title, they could knock out the SEC entirely. For the Crimson Tide, it all comes down to the early-season loss vs. Texas.

“You would have the Big Ten champ, Florida State, Texas and Oregon. Can you imagine an a scenario where Georgia’s 12-1, Alabama’s 12-1 and the SEC is not in the playoff? There it is. Undefeated Big Ten team, Florida State, undefeated, and even like Texas or Oregon — let’s say Washington remains undefeated — they would take that third spot for sure and then it would be a Texas. Like wow, that win Texas over Alabama is going to come back to haunt the Crimson Tide.”

Klatt isn’t so sure Texas is safely in yet, though. They still have to win out, including a victory against a formidable opponent in the Big 12 championship. But if they do, there shouldn’t be any worry of Alabama passing them, he believes.

“The way that they’re looking at this right now, Texas is the one in the pickle. Could they get in? Yes. Is it going to be tough? Yes.”

To get in the playoff themselves, Alabama will need Texas to stumble, as well as Florida State, who is certainly heading to the playoff ahead of Alabama if they remain undefeated.

“Do you know what Alabama really needs, like badly? One of two things has to happen for Alabama: Florida State has to stub their toe, that’s No. 1. Or Texas needs to stub their toe, that’s No. 2. If those two things don’t happen, I don’t even know if Alabama controls their own destiny right now. And by the way, not my opinion, that’s just based on what the rankings gave us here on Tuesday.”