"Losing to LSU is the easiest path to the College Football Playoff for Alabama."

[BeardedVol]

Alabama sports writers already conceding defeat, two weeks out?

The hubris and sense of entitlement is staggering but not surprising though:

Alabama is partly to blame for the SEC West dipping competitively in recent years, so now the College Football Playoff committee is going to hold Alabama at fault for being too good for so long? That’s a Catch-22.It’s unfair to now hold their decimation of the SEC against Alabama to keep them out of the playoff.

Tua Tagovailoa doesn’t have to play against LSU

 

[bamawriter]

I think that argument is incredibly reasonable, especially since the bulk of the article is spent talking about how Tua's long-term health is more important to him and the team than beating LSU. He also makes it clear that "easier path" argument applies to LSU as well.

Personally, as reasonable as it is, I don't buy that argument. A 1-loss Bama team would not control their own destiny. They would have to hope for a combination of losses to Ohio State, Oregon, Clemson, Penn State, and Oklahoma, and even a 1-loss tOSU or Penn State are probably getting in over Bama if they win the Big Ten. And, even more importantly, if Bama's going to lose it needs to be close. With all due respect to Mac Jones, it's not going to be close unless Tua plays.

 

[BeardedVol]

I think that argument is incredibly reasonable, especially since the bulk of the article is spent talking about how Tua's long-term health is more important to him and the team than beating LSU. He also makes it clear that "easier path" argument applies to LSU as well.

Personally, as reasonable as it is, I don't buy that argument. A 1-loss Bama team would not control their own destiny. They would have to hope for a combination of losses to Ohio State, Oregon, Clemson, Penn State, and Oklahoma, and even a 1-loss tOSU or Penn State are probably getting in over Bama if they win the Big Ten. And, even more importantly, if Bama's going to lose it needs to be close. With all due respect to Mac Jones, it's not going to be close unless Tua plays.

I mean, of course you do.

If Clemson remains unbeaten, LSU remains unbeaten, and OSU remains unbeaten, why should Alabama get the nod over a 1-loss Penn State?

 

[bamawriter]

I mean, of course you do.

If Clemson remains unbeaten, LSU remains unbeaten, and OSU remains unbeaten, why should Alabama get the nod over a 1-loss Penn State?

I don't know that they should. But it would happen, so "should" can be left for the talking heads to worry about.

 

[LouderVol]

I think that argument is incredibly reasonable, especially since the bulk of the article is spent talking about how Tua's long-term health is more important to him and the team than beating LSU. He also makes it clear that "easier path" argument applies to LSU as well.

Personally, as reasonable as it is, I don't buy that argument. A 1-loss Bama team would not control their own destiny. They would have to hope for a combination of losses to Ohio State, Oregon, Clemson, Penn State, and Oklahoma, and even a 1-loss tOSU or Penn State are probably getting in over Bama if they win the Big Ten. And, even more importantly, if Bama's going to lose it needs to be close. With all due respect to Mac Jones, it's not going to be close unless Tua plays.

Oregon doesnt get in over Bama. They both have one loss and the PAC12 is trash. It's what an expanded ACC coastal would look like. Oregon lost to the 4th or 5th best SEC team. Assuming bama beats Auburn I dont see Oregon over bama.

 

[bamawriter]

Oregon doesnt get in over Bama. They both have one loss and the PAC12 is trash. It's what an expanded ACC coastal would look like. Oregon lost to the 4th or 5th best SEC team. Assuming bama beats Auburn I dont see Oregon over bama.

You could be right. But if they were to bulldoze 1-loss Utah in the Pac 12 title game, I think they get in. However, I don't think the same argument applies to Utah beating 1-loss Oregon.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

So what happens if say LSU beats Alabama and wins out to win the West, UF wins out and wins the East, and then upsets LSU? If it came down to LSU/Alabama for the 4th spot you can't put in Alabama can you?

 

[bamawriter]

So what happens if say LSU beats Alabama and wins out to win the West, UF wins out and wins the East, and then upsets LSU? If it came down to LSU/Alabama for the 4th spot you can't put in Alabama can you?

No, Bama would have no shot in that scenario.

 

[BigOrangeAl 1979]

Don’t underestimate the Bama luck of getting in without winning their division. They have already done it twice in 2011 and 2017 winning national championships in both years. I think the four team playoff will be LSU, Clemson, Ohio St. and Bama 3 conference winners and one at large 11-1 team from the SEC either LSU or Bama

 

[BUBear]

 

[UTK]

Alabama needs to stay outta the playoffs for the overall good of college football.

 

[BAMA-DAWG]

Hold on. If Bama loses to LSU, and I believe they will, it's entirely possible they lose to the Barn as well. Gus has had as much success against the Tide as anyone in college football, and this is not the strongest team Saban has fielded. The Iron Bowl will be played at Auburn this year. Remember 2017? There's still some games that matter to be played. A two loss Bama? I don't think the Commitee would have any interest in that.

 

[bamawriter]

Hold on. If Bama loses to LSU, and I believe they will, it's entirely possible they lose to the Barn as well. Gus has had as much success against the Tide as anyone in college football, and this is not the strongest team Saban has fielded. The Iron Bowl will be played at Auburn this year. Remember 2017? There's still some games that matter to be played. A two loss Bama? I don't think the Commitee would have any interest in that.

Recently, Bama only loses to Auburn when Auburn is still in the hunt. If LSU beats Bama, Auburn is effectively eliminated, so Bama will win the Iron Bowl.

 

[BowlBrother85]

I mean, of course you do.

If Clemson remains unbeaten, LSU remains unbeaten, and OSU remains unbeaten, why should Alabama get the nod over a 1-loss Penn State?

Also, there is another very possible scenario, where Georgia wins out, and beats LSU in the SEC Championship Game. As SEC Champion, Georgia would get a playoff bid with just one loss, and LSU with just one loss and a win over Alabama, would get the nod over Bama. There is no way that three teams from one conference are getting in. It is a big mistake to pencil Bama into the playoff with a loss to LSU...

 

[peaygolf]

Here's to Bama losing to LSU, Miss St, and Auburn!

edit...............and the bowl game

 

[CLCVol]

Also, there is another very possible scenario, where Georgia wins out, and beats LSU in the SEC Championship Game. As SEC Champion, Georgia would get a playoff bid with just one loss, and LSU with just one loss and a win over Alabama, would get the nod over Bama. There is no way that three teams from one conference are getting in. It is a big mistake to pencil Bama into the playoff with a loss to LSU...

In that scenario, my bet would be that a 1 loss OSU or PSU gets in rather than a second SEC school

 

[Nerwen Aldarion]

Alabama being dropped to number 2 is not "punishment" for being too good. Its a recognition that they have played one of the weakest schedules in college football. None of their wins has been against impressive opponents (and yes that includes us). The only ranked team they played was A&M and they dropped out of the rankings already too.

If Alabama had actually played any really good teams like LSU has, then they would be number one. They haven't.

 

[bamawriter]

Alabama being dropped to number 2 is not "punishment" for being too good. Its a recognition that they have played one of the weakest schedules in college football. None of their wins has been against impressive opponents (and yes that includes us). The only ranked team they played was A&M and they dropped out of the rankings already too.

If Alabama had actually played any really good teams like LSU has, then they would be number one. They haven't.

It is what it is. We can't make our opponents stop being mediocre. Our only decent opponents are still to come. It'll either work itself out or it won't.

 

[05_never_again]

Alabama needs to stay outta the playoffs for the overall good of college football.

I'd rather have Alabama in the playoff than Georgia. If Alabama wins another one, ho hum, who cares. Georgia hasn't won one in a long time. We need Georgia to stay right where they are, which is a great, incredibly talented team that cannot shake a reputation of not being able to win "the big one."

 

[05_never_again]

Don’t underestimate the Bama luck of getting in without winning their division. They have already done it twice in 2011 and 2017 winning national championships in both years. I think the four team playoff will be LSU, Clemson, Ohio St. and Bama 3 conference winners and one at large 11-1 team from the SEC either LSU or Bama

This. In addition to being the best team in college football, they are also one of the luckiest teams in college football. And I'm not talking about in a "make your own luck" kind of way. I'm talking about in a "we lost a game that otherwise would have held us out, but the results of other games we have absolutely no control over bailed us out" kind of way.

 

[BigOrangeAl 1979]

This. In addition to being the best team in college football, they are also one of the luckiest teams in college football. And I'm not talking about in a "make your own luck" kind of way. I'm talking about in a "we lost a game that otherwise would have held us out, but the results of other games we have absolutely no control over bailed us out" kind of way.

Yep just see the 2011 and 2017 Bama title teams and the 2012 team needed Oregon and Kansas St. and Baylor who were all undefeated to lose which they on the same weekend after Bama lost to A&M

 

[BowlBrother85]

This. In addition to being the best team in college football, they are also one of the luckiest teams in college football. And I'm not talking about in a "make your own luck" kind of way. I'm talking about in a "we lost a game that otherwise would have held us out, but the results of other games we have absolutely no control over bailed us out" kind of way.

This is all true... but yet, I would say that the luckiest and most undeserving National Champion in the last 40 years was LSU in 2007. That team lost twice to teams who were not that good themselves (Kentucky and Arkansas - who both lost to Tennessee, by the way), and yet, somehow, they made it into the BCS Championship Game vs Ohio State at the end of that season (after a narrow SEC Championship Game win over Tennessee). That was ridiculous.

 

[LouderVol]

This is all true... but yet, I would say that the luckiest and most undeserving National Champion in the last 40 years was LSU in 2007. That team lost twice to teams who were not that good themselves (Kentucky and Arkansas - who both lost to Tennessee, by the way), and yet, somehow, they made it into the BCS Championship Game vs Ohio State at the end of that season (after a narrow SEC Championship Game win over Tennessee). That was ridiculous.

but they still beat that OSU team. I would think you could find some pre BCS champions more full of it than that. OSU was the number team that year by a long shot.

 

[BowlBrother85]

but they still beat that OSU team. I would think you could find some pre BCS champions more full of it than that. OSU was the number team that year by a long shot.

With two losses to teams who finished the season unranked... and one of those losses was at home in their last game of the regular season? I don't think so.

 

[UTK]

I'd rather have Alabama in the playoff than Georgia. If Alabama wins another one, ho hum, who cares. Georgia hasn't won one in a long time. We need Georgia to stay right where they are, which is a great, incredibly talented team that cannot shake a reputation of not being able to win "the big one."

I understand and agree. But for college football as a whole, the same teams new to stop winning them.