Alabama's Win Over Auburn Should Solidify Spot in College Football Playoff

AUBURN, Ala.— Kalen DeBoer is not known for being a jokester, but he couldn't help but shake shake his head and laugh when thinking about the idea that his Crimson Tide team could get left out of the College Football Playoff depending on next week's result in the SEC title game against Georgia.

"That would be unreal," DeBoer said after Alabama's 27-20 win over Auburn. "We’re 10-2 and 7-1 in the SEC with all these ranked wins, and again, some wins on the road. We’ve got more than a playoff-caliber football team. There’s not a question in my mind."

In his first road Iron Bowl, DeBoer's team blew a 17-0 first-half lead, but came back in the fourth quarter with a 15-play drive that gave Alabama the 27-20 lead with 3:50 to go. Auburn started driving down the field to potentially tie or win the game, but Crimson Tide safety Bray Hubbard forced a fumble on Auburn's Cam Coleman, and redshirt senior Deontae Lawson recovered.

Once again, Alabama's defense came up with a big turnover in a crucial moment to help keep Alabama's playoff hopes alive. Alabama (10-2, 7-1 SEC) held on for its sixth straight win over Auburn (5-7, 1-7 SEC.)

With the win, Alabama clinched a spot in the SEC championship game for a rematch with Georgia. That can be viewed as a good thing or a bad thing.

The positive perspective is that a win over Georgia would, in all likelihood, give the Crimson Tide a first-round bye in the CFP. It would earn Alabama an automatic spot as a conference champion. The negative perspective is that a loss could keep Alabama out entirely. Even though, if Alabama was sitting at home next weekend, like Ole Miss or Texas A&M, the Crimson TIde would definitely be in the playoffs at 10-2.

Alabama has a playoff resumé. The Crimson Tide has wins over three teams that were ranked in the committee's latest rankings and finished as the No. 1 seed in the toughest conference in college football. The SEC will get at least four teams in the CFP and possibly five depending on what happens next weekend.

There have been times this season where Alabama has not competed at its best, yet still found ways to win. Alabama has been playing with its back against the wall since losing the season opener at Florida State.

DeBoer said he "definitely" thinks his team deserves a spot in the CFP, and his players feel the same way.

"Of course we do," Hubbard said when asked if Alabama considers itself a playoff team. "That’s our goal is to go win a national championship. We’ve proven that we can play with the best. We’ve beaten the best. We’ve just got to keep moving forward and take on 1-0 next week.”

Lawson described Alabama as a resilient group, reflecting on the things the Crimson Tide has been through this season.

"I know we can compete with anybody in the country, and that’s all phases of the game," Lawson said. "I know guys in the locker room, they’re all fired up to get an opportunity. But first, we’ve got to worry about the SEC Championship, and that’s the next thing. First, we’re going to enjoy this one. We’ll get back to work on Sunday and get ready for Georgia for sure.”

For the second straight season, DeBoer had Alabama positioned heading into the month of November for a CFP spot. Last year, all Alabama had to do was beat a .500 Oklahoma team and a .500 Auburn team. It lost to the Sooners, picking up a third loss that proved to keep the Tide out of the playoffs.

Similarly this year, Alabama essentially need to split its two games against Oklahoma at home and a 5-6 Auburn team. The 23-21 loss to Oklahoma put Alabama's season in peril and a lot of pressure on the Iron Bowl, but the Crimson Tide was able to withstand the pressure.

Now, it will face another pressure-packed position against Georgia (11-1, 7-1 SEC) in Atlanta, a team it already beat on the road back in September in what has turned out to be Georgia's only loss. Alabama has not lost an SEC title game since 2008 (nine straight wins in title-game appearances.) Four of those nine wins have been over the Georgia Bulldogs. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart is 1-7 against Alabama, and the Bulldogs will likely get in the playoff regardless of its outcome against Alabama.

The CFP committee might punish Alabama for the extra game if the Crimson Tide were to lose to Georgia, but it should not. Alabama's resumé is strong enough, and the win over Auburn on Saturday should solidify Alabama's spot in the 12-team field, regardless of what happens next week in Atlanta.

"I’m interested really to see what our team does here moving forward," DeBoer said. "Playing with, kind of, a spirit about them. Even this celebration in here, it’s exciting, but it’s very business-like. They’re kind of stuck in this mode like, ‘OK. We’ve got another one. We’ve got to go do it again.’ They just keep doing it, and it’s been that way in practice. They have never fallen off.”

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