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College football fans, media react to Alabama being left out of College Football Playoff field
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Alabama did not make the College Football Playoff despite entering the conference championship weekend with a spot in the projected field.
Clemson’s game-winning field goal against SMU in the ACC Championship Game on Saturday ultimately knocked the Tide out of the field. The Tigers, who ended up No. 16 in the final rankings, stole the final bid from the Crimson Tide while the Mustangs earned an at-large spot.
There’s been plenty of reaction to this decision by the committee. SMU entered the week ranked No. 8 in the committee’s rankings, but some thought the Mustangs may fall out of the top-12 with a loss to the Tigers.
Alabama boasts a 9-3 overall record, including a trio of ranked wins. The Tide’s résumé also features a win over SEC champion Georgia and a top-15 team in South Carolina that finished the year on an extremely strong note.
SMU, on the other hand, went 11-1 during the regular season with its only loss coming to a BYU team that finished in a tie for first in the Big 12 regular season standings.
While some believed Alabama deserved a berth over SMU due to strength-of-schedule, others staunchly backed up the committee’s decision to put the Mustangs in the field.
Here’s some of the reaction to Alabama being left out of the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff:
Do i think Alabama is a better team than SMU? Yes. But like Dan Lanning said “if you lose three regular season games? Shame on you.”
The committee got it right.
— Kayce Smith (@KayceSmith) December 8, 2024
ALABAMA OUT. pic.twitter.com/hMA48vS6UY
— Barstool Rocky Top (@BarstoolTenn) December 8, 2024
“Alabama will miss the College Football Playoff”
The entire country: pic.twitter.com/mZnw0XYbsP
— Nick Perkins (@NickyPerkss) December 8, 2024
They’re yapping all about how good Alabama’s wins are and completely ignoring their embarrassing losses. It’s a clown show. Losses matter. The games on the field matter.
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) December 8, 2024
Wow #Alabama got screwed out of the CFP pic.twitter.com/RMDaGvz58w
— Nick Hamilton (@NickHamilton213) December 8, 2024
Respect to the committee for not rewarding teams for sitting on the couch yesterday. If you EARN a birth into your conference championship you shouldn’t get penalized for losing it. Texas and PSU should be ahead of ND and SMU should be in over Alabama. Committee got it right.
— Unbiased Ev (@DoubleVodkaDon) December 8, 2024
Tennessee, Oregon, Alabama screwed because of auto bids
Without auto bids:
– Oregon plays winner of Boise State and Indiana
– Tennessee plays SMU first round
– Alabama gets into the bracket— gmannVOLS (@gmannVOLS) December 8, 2024
Based on the criteria the committee established and not punishing teams for reaching conference championship games, SMU was right call over Alabama. But they need to seed the top 12 teams starting next year. And maybe they decide the conference championship game outcomes are… pic.twitter.com/tH6mCCBafc
— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) December 8, 2024
The committee got it right last year putting Alabama over FSU.
The committee got it right again this year putting SMU over Alabama.
— InAllKindsOfWeather.com (@AllKindsWeather) December 8, 2024
Congratulations to the CFP Committee for getting right. No way Alabama deserved to go over SMU this year.
— Ari Wasserman (@AriWasserman) December 8, 2024
CFP committee got it right. SMU deserved it over Alabama. Period.
— Jackson Didlake (@diidlake) December 8, 2024
SMU getting in over Alabama was the right decision.
— Cory Yates (@CoryRAanalytics) December 8, 2024
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
