Does the Winner of Alabama-Georgia Unofficially Secure a CFP Spot? Just a Minute

Welcome to BamaCentral’s "Just a Minute," a video series featuring Alabama Crimson Tide on SI's beat writers. Multiple times per week, the writers will group up or film solo to provide their take on a topic concerning the Crimson Tide or the landscape of college sports.

Watch the above video as Alabama Crimson Tide on SI football writer and assistant editor Katie Windham discusses whether or not the winner of this Saturday's top-10 matchup between Alabama and Georgia will have all but secured a spot in this year's College Football Playoff field.

Just three seasons ago, a loss in Week 6 could make-or-break a team's chances at the College Football Playoff when the field consisted of just four teams. Now, there's a little more wiggle room with 12 teams in the CFP each season.

Does the winner of this weekend's game between Alabama and Georgia have a spot in the playoff unofficially wrapped up? The answer isn't so obvious.

Two years ago in Kalen DeBoer's first season as the Alabama head coach, the Crimson Tide knocked off Georgia and ascended to No. 1 in the polls. But that game was in Week 4, and Alabama lost to Vanderbilt the next week and had two other losses that regular season to Tennessee and Oklahoma, eventually missing out on the first 12-team CFP.

Georgia did make the CFP in 2024 despite losing to Alabama. Last year, Alabama beat Georgia on the road in Athens in Week 4, and both teams were in the 12-team field.

With it being two games deeper into the season this year and both teams already sitting at 5-0, I think it makes even more likely that the winner will make the CFP, whether that is as the at-large or the SEC champion.

Both Alabama and Georgia have tougher back halves of the schedule than the front half. This Saturday will be the first ranked opponent the Bulldogs have faced while Alabama has only played one (Mississippi State) through the first five games. Starting with the Crimson Tide, Georgia has four ranked opponents remaining. Alabama has three.

So there are plenty of opportunities for other losses and crazy things to happen, but I feel fairly confident saying that the winner of Saturday's showdown in Bryant-Denny will find themselves in the College Football Playoff this season.

Alabama CFP appearances

Year	Result
2014	Lost in semifinals
2015	Won national title
2016	Lost in national title game
2017	Won national title
2018	Lost in national title game
2020	Won national title
2021	Lost in national title game
2023	Lost in semifinals
2025	Lost in quarterfinals

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