Nick Saban provides initial reaction to Alabama missing out on College Football Playoff

Alabama finished at No. 5 in the final College Football Playoff rankings, missing the chance to play its way into the national title game for only the second time since the playoff’s inception in 2014.

Coach Nick Saban discussed the Crimson Tide missing the playoffs on ESPN following the reveal.

“You know, we’re obviously disappointed. We wanted to see our team have an opportunity to play and get in the playoffs,” Saban said. “But we’re going to get an opportunity to play someone somewhere in a good game and that’s going to be an opportunity for our players to create value for themselves and show what kind of team we really have.”

Alabama was left out in favor of No. 4 Ohio State.

While the Crimson Tide had two losses, the Buckeyes had just one. And even though Alabama’s losses both came on the last play of the game on the road — first at Tennessee on a game-winning field goal by the Volunteers, then at LSU in overtime on a game-winning two-point conversion by the Tigers –– the resume wasn’t quite enough for the College Football Playoff committee.

Saban pitched it as a learning experience for his players, though.

“I think you learn a lot sometimes with disappointment, how you respond to it,” he said. “There’s always an opportunity in any adversity that you have to face. We obviously faced quite a bit this year in the middle of the season, and I think the players responded to it well. And this is going to be another opportunity for them looking forward to be able to respond in a positive way and build in the future.”

Committee explains Ohio State over Alabama

Selection committee chairman Boo Corrigan joined ESPN live on the playoff reveal show to explain the reasoning behind the final College Football Playoff rankings, in particular Ohio State’s inclusion over Alabama at No. 4.

In short, the committee felt that Ohio State had the better wins.

“Well I think you look at the big wins as well as part of this,” Corrigan explained. “And the win that Ohio State has over Notre Dame, the win they have over Penn State, compare that to Alabama with the wins over Texas, Mississippi State, some other close games. Again, keep in mind that the Michigan game did get away from them but it was a one-score game early in the fourth quarter.”