Alabama’s climb in the computer rankings keeps outpacing the human polls, even after the Crimson Tide’s win over LSU pushed the traditional voters to settle on No. 7.
The gap is still there. Bill Connelly’s SP+ has Alabama at No. 8, which puts it closest to the AP and Coaches Polls among the major computer models.
But the other numbers are much kinder to the Tide. ESPN’s FPI has Alabama at No.
3, Kenneth Massey’s ratings also place the Crimson Tide at No. 3, and Jeff Sagarin’s model is even higher on them at No. 2.
Georgia remains the one team where nearly everybody agrees. Outside of the FPI, both the human polls and the computer models have Kirby Smart’s team at No.
- The FPI is the outlier there, ranking Georgia No.
So why does Alabama still draw such a split? One explanation is that some poll voters may still be carrying Bama fatigue. Another is that Alabama’s performances have been uneven, ranging from very good to, against Tennessee, awful.
There’s also the schedule-strength angle, and that’s where the computer models tend to separate themselves. They account for Strength of Schedule directly, while human voters may only have a broad feel for how difficult a team’s slate has been.
Indiana is a good example. The Hoosiers are ranked ahead of Alabama in the human polls, but Sagarin has Indiana’s SOS at No. 54 and Alabama’s at No.
- Sagarin ranks 8-1 Indiana No. 10, and Alabama has three wins against tanked teams while the Hoosiers have none.
The College Football Playoff Selection Committee is a human group, but it leans on a wide range of data points. Traditional poll voters, by contrast, may not weigh those numbers as heavily.
The spread across the SEC’s computer rankings shows just how wide the opinions can be. Georgia sits at the top with a high of No. 1 and a low of No.
- Alabama, at 7-2, ranges from No. 2 all the way down to No. 8 in SP+.
Texas, also 7-2, lands at No. 4 in Sagarin and No. 8 in Massey’s ratings. Tennessee, at 7-2, is clustered tightly between No. 9 and No.
- LSU, now 6-3, stretches from No. 6 in Sagarin to No. 18 in Massey.
Ole Miss, at 6-3, goes from No. 11 in Massey to No. 30 in SP+. South Carolina, also 6-3, is as high as No. 16 in Massey and as low as No. 28 in SP+.
Kentucky, at 7-2, ranges from No. 16 in Massey to No. 41 in SP+. Oklahoma, at 5-4, is No. 18 in Sagarin and No. 45 in SP+.
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Greg McElroy Just Gave Alabama Fans Fresh Playoff Ammo
Greg McElroy has given Alabama fans another talking point to carry into the College Football Playoff conversation, saying the Crimson Tide should land at No. 3 in the next rankings. The former Alabama quarterback pointed to the strength of Alabamas wins and the injury issues the team has had to navigate, a combination that gives supporters plenty of ammunition as the playoff debate starts to sharpen.
His take also puts Tennessee in the spotlight, with McElroy placing the Volunteers at No. 8 and leaving their path to the postseason tied closely to what happens in the games ahead. The reaction to his comments has already been lively, and for Alabama fans, it is the kind of outside validation that can fuel the argument even before the rankings are officially released. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Faces New QB Concern Heading Into Vanderbilt
Keelon Russells ankle injury is the latest thing Alabama has to monitor as it turns the page from the LSU win and starts preparing for Vanderbilt. Kalen DeBoer said the quarterback is day-to-day after getting hurt in the LSU game, but Russell still came back and finished with 206 passing yards and three touchdowns, a reminder of how important he has become to the offense.
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Alabama Still Waiting On Two Young Backs At Crucial Time
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For a program that likes to have depth ready when the games get bigger, the timing is less than ideal. Alabama does not have to write either player off for the year, but it also cannot count on them yet, which makes every update worth watching. The next question is whether either back can get healthy enough to rejoin the mix before the season reaches its most demanding stage. [Read more 🡒]