Alabama’s playoff spot is at risk after the multi-score defeat in Atlanta.
The Crimson Tide moved up one spot to No. 9 in Tuesday’s ranking, but now a tumble is expected after the way in which they lost to Georgia.
Alabama’s offense, which was without its top two running backs, didn’t score until the fourth quarter.
Kalen DeBoer’s side now sits at 10-3 with double-digit losses to Georgia and the Florida State Seminoles, as well as a two-point defeat to the Oklahoma Sooners.
Notre Dame is 10-2 with early-season defeats to Miami and the Texas A&M Aggies. Miami is 10-2 with close losses in conference play to the Louisville Cardinals and SMU Mustangs.
Most notably, Miami owns the head-to-head win over Notre Dame, but that has yet to matter to the selection committee with the Hurricanes further down the rankings compared to the Fighting Irish.
The committee has to decide how much they weigh Alabama’s SEC Championship Game performance. On one hand, the Crimson Tide got to Atlanta, but its three losses would be the most of any potential at-large team.
On record alone, Notre Dame and Miami should be in the field, but there’s a chance the last at-large spot comes down to the two programs and the head-to-head result is the deciding factor.
At minimum, Alabama’s spot in the top 10 is in peril because of its number of losses and the way in which it performed in two of those three defeats, including Saturday’s loss.
