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Alabama football misses out on College Football Playoff, finishes at No. seed in final ranking

 

Alabama Football Misses Out on College Football Playoff, Finishes at No. 5 in Final Ranking

For the first time in recent memory, Alabama football has been left out of the College Football Playoff (CFP) following the release of the final rankings. The Crimson Tide, who entered the 2023 season with high expectations, finished at No. 5 in the CFP rankings, just one spot shy of earning a coveted playoff berth.

Despite a strong finish to the season, including a dominant win in the SEC Championship Game against Georgia, Alabama’s early-season losses proved too much to overcome. The Tide dropped games to Texas and LSU, and while they rebounded with impressive wins over ranked opponents, the committee ultimately decided that other teams had more compelling cases for the final four spots.

In the final CFP rankings, the top four teams—Georgia, Michigan, Washington, and Florida State—secured their playoff spots, leaving Alabama on the outside looking in. Alabama’s strength of schedule and the caliber of competition they faced in the SEC were points in their favor, but the committee gave weight to the undefeated records of the other top teams, especially Florida State, who made the playoff despite a season-ending injury to star quarterback Jordan Travis.

Head coach Nick Saban expressed disappointment but also praised his team for their resilience. “We fought through a lot of adversity, and I’m proud of how our guys responded,” Saban said. “While we didn’t make the playoff this year, we’ll use this as motivation to keep improving.”

With Alabama on the outside of the playoff picture, the focus now turns to recruiting and preparing for a potential New Year’s Six bowl game. The Tide will look to finish strong and begin a new chapter in 2024, with their sights set firmly on returning to the playoff next season.