Nick Saban makes Alabama's case for College Football Playoff berth

Let the campaigning begin. Following upsets of No. 3 TCU in the Big 12 Championship Game and No. 4 USC in the Pac-12 Championship Game, Nick Saban made Alabama‘s case for the College Football Playoff on an ESPN Twitter show that aired on Saturday evening.

According to ESPN’s Alex Scarborough, Saban cited quarterback Bryce Young‘s shoulder injury against Arkansas as a reason Alabama should be in consideration for one of the top four spots in the final College Football Playoff rankings.

Saban also made Alabama’s case for the College Football Playoff by posing a bit of a brain game question: If the teams under consideration played now, “would they be underdogs?”

On ESPN Twitter CFB Show, Saban made the case for Bama getting in the playoff. He talked about Bryce's injury vs. Ark and how he was limited in practice when he came back. He pointed to a 3-0 close to the season. Saban said you have to ask, "How are they playing at present?"

— Alex Scarborough (@AlexS_ESPN) December 4, 2022

Young suffered an injury to his throwing shoulder that knocked him out of a game against Arkansas in the first half on Oct. 1.

Alabama would go on to win that game with backup quarterback Jalen Milroe, but Young was unable to do much throwing in practice for weeks. He returned against Tennessee just two weeks later, but it was clear Alabama’s offense wasn’t quite in sync.

The Crimson Tide fell to the Volunteers 52-49, with Tennessee winning on a last-second field goal.

Alabama’s only other loss was in overtime against LSU, also on a game-winning play on the road, when the Tigers went for a two-point conversion trailing 31-30 and managed to convert.

Alabama’s case for the College Football Playoff has backers

Saban wasn’t the only person to make Alabama’s case for a College Football Playoff berth on Saturday.

Analysts and media types batted various scenarios back and forth throughout the day, and FOX analyst Shannon Sharpe of Skip and Shannon: Undisputed on Fox Sports 1, chimed in with his opinion on Saturday as conference title games played out.

“College Football Playoff Committee be like Spike Lee and ‘Do The Right Thing,'” Sharpe tweeted. “Alabama belongs in the College Playoff after 3 and 4 lost. Your eyes tell you Bama are 1 of the 4 best tms. 4get the won loss record. #ALABAMAINVITATIONAL.”

In any case, all eyes will be glued to the televisions starting Sunday at noon ET on ESPN as the bowl and College Football Playoff possibilities are decided and announced.