Alabama Climbs to No. 9 in CFP Rankings - And the Playoff Path Just Got Clearer
With one week to go before the final College Football Playoff field is set, Alabama is right where it needs to be. After a gritty 27-20 win in the Iron Bowl, the Crimson Tide moved up to No. 9 in the latest CFP rankings - a one-spot jump that may not seem seismic on paper, but carries massive implications for their postseason hopes.
Let’s be clear: Alabama is now in prime position to make the playoff. Not officially locked in, but knocking loudly on the door - and the committee seems ready to let them in.
The Committee Sends a Message
By bumping Alabama ahead of Notre Dame, the CFP committee effectively course-corrected a move that had puzzled fans and analysts alike. Alabama’s résumé stacks up better than Notre Dame’s in just about every metric - strength of schedule, quality wins, and overall performance - except for one: the quality of their loss. Still, the Tide’s body of work has been stronger, and the committee finally acknowledged it.
This isn’t just about rankings. This is about setting the stage for what comes next. The message is clear: Alabama doesn’t need to beat Georgia in the SEC Championship to earn a playoff spot - it just needs to be competitive.
That’s a big shift from where things stood just a week ago, when the Tide were sitting at No. 10 and facing a potential nightmare scenario. A loss to Georgia, combined with a BYU upset over Texas Tech, could’ve knocked Alabama out entirely. But now, with the jump to No. 9, the committee has signaled that Alabama’s season-long performance outweighs a single result - even if that result comes in the SEC title game.
What’s at Stake in Atlanta
Saturday’s SEC Championship against Georgia still matters - a lot. A win would remove all doubt and likely vault Alabama into the top four, securing a first-round bye in the expanded playoff format. That’s the cleanest path forward, and you can bet Kalen DeBoer and his team are locked in on that goal.
But even with a loss, the Tide have some cushion. As long as they avoid a blowout, Alabama should remain in the top 10, which would still qualify them for the playoff.
In that scenario, the Tide would likely open the postseason on the road, potentially facing another SEC opponent. Right now, seeds six through eight are all conference rivals - Ole Miss, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma - so a rematch could be in the cards.
The Bigger Picture
This latest ranking also puts pressure elsewhere. Notre Dame, now on the outside looking in, is suddenly vulnerable.
If BYU pulls off an upset over Texas Tech in the Big 12 Championship, both Big 12 teams could make the field - potentially at Notre Dame’s expense. Meanwhile, ripple effects from other conference title games - like a Duke win over Virginia or a James Madison victory in the Sun Belt - could squeeze out the ACC entirely.
It’s a tangled web, but Alabama’s in a much better spot than it was just a week ago. Remember, there was a time when a 10-2 record and an SEC title game appearance felt like enough to punch a ticket.
Then came a six-spot drop after a narrow home loss to a projected playoff team, and the narrative shifted. Now, the committee has shifted it back.
Final Word
Alabama doesn’t control everything - but it controls enough. Win on Saturday, and the Tide are in with style.
Lose respectably, and they’re still probably in. That’s the kind of margin for error most teams would kill for in early December.
For DeBoer and Alabama, the message is simple: handle your business in Atlanta, and the rest will take care of itself.