The CFP rankings just dropped and sparked a heated controversy! Alabama surged ahead of Miami, reminiscent of a last-minute miraculous Hail Mary touchdown. Many expressed their discontent, accusing the committee of playing favorites for the SEC, while Miami fans are feeling blindsided. This decision has prompted ongoing debates among observers, questioning the significance of a challenging schedule versus impressive victories. The committee is now under immense pressure, grappling with numerous inquiries and striving to protect its credibility amidst this turbulent situation.

The Miami Hurricanes’ 10-2 record took a hit after losing to Syracuse last week, impacting their playoff rankings more than expected. But them getting a lower ranking than Alabama, who is standing on a 9-3 record this season, is something that no one can make peace with. Now, the committee needed to give some explanation, so on the December 4th episode of ESPN, College Football Playoff Committee chair Warde Manuel shared the actual reason behind their rankings. “What it really came down to is Alabama is 3-1 against top 25 teams, and Miami is 0-1,” Manuel said. “Alabama is 6-1 against teams over.500. Miami is 4-2. In evaluating their body of work, we felt Alabama got the edge over Miami.” Looks like the playoff committee always has a spot for Bama.

However, this time it’s more about the kind of team you faced rather than the wins you secured in the season. And talking about Bama’s schedule, they did manage to get a remarkable victory against Georgia, South Carolina, and the LSU Tigers this season, which gives them an edge of 3-1 against other teams. But then they also lost against unranked teams like Vanderbilt and Oklahoma that should be a real deal breaker, but it seems that’s not the case with them. But even if they are in 11th position and Miami is in 12th, does Kalen DeBoer’s team really stand a chance against them?

Does Alabama still stand a chance in the playoffs?

Kalen DeBoer’s debut season did not go as expected, with backlash being a common occurrence for him and the team regardless of the outcome of the games. And somehow the losses prompted questions about their performance. However, the concern now is that even though Bama got a higher rank than Miami, will they be able to maintain their position and ultimately make it to the playoffs? Well, the answer is quite interesting, as for now their position is sealed, but one team might spoil their best moment for them.

Yes, you heard that right. For now, the Clemson Tigers are in a lower position than Alabama in the playoff rankings, but if the team wins the ACC championship game next week against SMU, and unfortunately, if the committee still ranks SMU over Alabama, that’s the only way Kalen DeBoer’s Bama will miss out on the playoffs. Now it all depends on SMU’s rankings, and if everything goes in Bama’s favor, the team still stands a strong chance to make it to the playoffs. Plus, the interesting fact is that because of SMU, Bama is standing at a crossroads due to their position in the league.