Alabama
Opinion: Alabama making playoff wouldn’t be a farce; just more of the same unwritten rule
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The College Football Playoff committee publicly lists only four specific criteria it uses to rank teams. That list includes strength of schedule and head-to-head competition.
But a fifth unwritten nugget has become apparent throughout the playoff’s existence: Alabama always, always, always will receive the benefit of the doubt.
You didn’t really think the committee would embrace Miami, Mississippi or South Carolina over Alabama for the final spot in this 12-team bracket, did you? That Script “A” casts a spell on the committee. The Alabama brand endures, even after it loses 24-3 to an opponent that finished 6-6.
Of course Alabama would become the first three-loss team admitted into the 12-team playoff. Who else would it be?
Mississippi, with its lavish history that includes never appearing in the SEC championship game? Not when a storied blue blood like Alabama shares Ole Miss’ 9-3 record.
Sorry, Rebels, you looked awfully good smashing Georgia and South Carolina. And you do use the script font on your helmets, but there’s no “A” in Ole Miss.
Just last year, the committee chose 12-1 Alabama over 13-0 Florida State. That became the only time an undefeated Power Four champion got left out of the four-team playoff.
And in 2017, Alabama joined Ohio State as the only teams from a conference to ever qualify for the playoff without winning their division. That Alabama squad went on to win the national championship, giving future CFP committees permission to keep awarding the Tide the benefit of the doubt.
This latest feat would be the Tide’s most impressive, reaching the playoff despite losing to two 6-6 teams, one of which is Vanderbilt.
ACC title game still matters to CFP bracket
Alabama hasn’t quite pulled this off. The committee, during Tuesday’s rankings update, slotted the Tide to the 11 seed, earmarking for Alabama the final at-large spot. The ink is not dry.
The committee could redirect that final at-large bid to SMU or Boise State if either loses its conference championship game to bid-stealing Clemson or UNLV, respectively.
SMU ranks three spots ahead of Alabama; Boise State sits one spot ahead of the Tide.
SMU or Boise State can only really feel safe, though, if they win their conference crowns and capture the accompanying auto bids. Forget the rankings: Do you really trust that if SMU loses to Clemson in the ACC championship game, the committee would favor the Mustangs over Alabama?
Can’t you just hear CFP committee chairman Warde Manuel explaining the group’s pick of Alabama over SMU? While the committee respects SMU’s 11 victories, let’s not forget that just a few weeks ago, Alabama destroyed Mercer.
Alabama getting playoff bid wouldn’t be like last season’s farce
A year ago, Alabama farcically qualified over Florida State, the ACC’s undefeated champion, because the Seminoles’ quarterback got hurt, and the committee’s crystal ball said FSU wouldn’t hold up in the playoff without its quarterback, even though it had just beaten Florida on the road without its quarterback.
In contrast, this is no farce. It’s just a show of Alabama getting the crimson rose to emerge from a bubble full of flawed résumés.
Legitimate reasons exist to anoint Alabama as the least-bad choice. Listen to Manuel spell out the rationale for putting Alabama ahead of 10-2 Miami.
“Alabama is 3-1 against current top-25 teams, and Miami is 0-1,” Manuel explained on ESPN. “Alabama is 6-1 against teams above .500, and Miami is 4-2.”
Can’t argue that. Alabama wouldn’t be a good choice, because no good choice exists. Miami would be a worse choice. Alabama’s strength of schedule outranks that of Miami and Ole Miss, the two teams directly behind Alabama in the rankings.
The Rebels lost on their home field to Kentucky, the SEC’s second-worst team, and Miami lacks a signature victory. That’s the thing about expanding the playoff from four to 12 teams. The more teams you add, the worse an at-large playoff résumé looks, and the better a 9-3 blue blood looks.
Of the mangled collection of bubble teams, I would have chosen Ole Miss, by virtue of its dominant victories against Georgia and South Carolina. No playoff team would want to play the Rebels when they’re at their best, but they had their chances, and they blew enough of them, so dry your tears.
How about another 9-3 team, South Carolina? Well, the Gamecocks lost to Alabama and got blown out by Ole Miss, so forget that.
Last year, the committee snubbed a deserving, undefeated team. This year, it’s difficult to vigorously argue that anyone is truly getting snubbed, in the purest sense of the word.
Anyway, you had to see this coming.
Although you won’t find it listed in the CFP rules, because it’s unwritten, by now we all understand: If the committee can find any reason to select Alabama, it will.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer. Subscribe to read all of his columns.
Every April, Alabama football sends a fresh batch of players to the NFL via the NFL draft.
This past April, the Crimson Tide’s streak of having at least one player selected in the first round reached 18 straight years when offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor went to the Miami Dolphins with the 12th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
One pick later, the Los Angeles Rams made the most stunning move of the draft when they selected quarterback Ty Simpson 13th overall.
Alabama’s 18-year streak of having at least one player selected in the draft is the longest in college football history. The Ohio State Buckeyes are second to Alabama, having had a player drafted in the first round in 11 consecutive years. The Georgia Bulldogs have now done it nine years in a row.
The Crimson Tide had 10 players taken overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. Germie Bernard was a second-round selection by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Alabama had seven players drafted on Day 3: LT Overton (fourth round, Dallas Cowboys), Parker Brailsford (fifth round, Cleveland Browns), Justin Jefferson (fifth round, Cleveland), Josh Cuevas (fifth round, Baltimore Ravens), Domani Jackson (sixth round, Green Bay Packers), Tim Keenan III (seventh round, Rams), and Jam Miller (seventh round, New England Patriots).
As for which team has the most Alabama players on its roster after the draft? Take a look.
Which NFL teams have the most Alabama football players?
Here’s a breakdown of Alabama players on current NFL rosters following the 2026 NFL Draft.
- Philadelphia Eagles: 9 — DeVonta Smith, Landon Dickerson, Tyler Steen, Cameron Latu, Jihaad Campbell, Byron Young, Deontae Lawson, Jaeden Roberts, Jalen Hurts (Alabama/Oklahoma)
- Atlanta Falcons: 5 — Da’Shawn Hand, Tua Tagovailoa, Christian Harris, DeMarcco Hellams, Brian Robinson
- Detroit Lions: 4 — Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs, Brian Branch, Terrion Arnold
- Seattle Seahawks: 4 — Jarren Reed, Josh Jobe, Jalen Milroe, Robbie Ouzts
- Baltimore Ravens: 3 — Derrick Henry, Marlon Humphrey, Josh Cuevas
- Carolina Panthers: 3 — Bryce Young, John Metchie, LaBryan Ray
- Cleveland Browns: 3 — Jerry Jeudy, Parker Brailsford, Justin Jefferson
- Dallas Cowboys: 3 — Quinnen Williams, Tyler Booker, LT Overton
- Denver Broncos: 3 — Jaylen Waddle, Patrick Surtain II, Que Robinson
- Green Bay Packers: 3 — Josh Jacobs, Xavier McKinney, Domani Jackson
- Los Angeles Chargers: 3 — Dalvin Tomlinson, JK Scott, Justin Eboigbe
- Los Angeles Rams: 3 — Ty Simpson, Tim Keenan III, Nikhai Hill-Green
- New England Patriots: 3 — Christian Barmore, CJ Dippre, Jam Miller
- New Orleans Saints: 3 — Anfernee Jennings, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Dashawn Jones
- Cincinnati Bengals: 2 — Jonathan Allen, Jordan Battle
- Houston Texans: 2 — Will Anderson Jr., Henry To’oTo’o
- Miami Dolphins: 2 — Ronnie Harrison Jr, Kadyn Proctor
- Minnesota Vikins: 2 — Dallas Turner, Will Reichard
- New York Jets: 2 — Minkah Fitzpatrick, Malachi Moore
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 2 — A’Shawn Robinson, Chris Braswell
- Tennessee Titans: 2 — Calvin Ridley, JC Latham
- Arizona Cardinals: 1 — Mack Wilson
- Buffalo Bills: 1 — Phidarian Mathis
- Chicago Bears: 1 — Jedrick Wills Jr.
- Indianapolis Colts: 1 — Tim Smith
- New York Giants: 1 — Evan Neal
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 1 — Germie Bernard
- San Francisco 49ers: 1 — Mac Jones
- Washington Commanders: 1 — Daron Payne
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 0
- Kansas City Chiefs: 0
- Las Vegas Raiders: 0
Follow us at @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook, for ongoing coverage of Alabama Crimson Tide news, notes and opinions.
MOBILE, Ala. (WSFA) – Four of the six Republican candidates seeking to be the GOP’s nominee for Alabama’s open U.S. Senate seat are set to take part in a forum Monday evening.
WSFA 12 News will carry the forum live at 6 p.m. on our website, as well as our news and smart TV apps, and on our Facebook and Youtube channels.
The forum is being hosted by the Azalea City Republican Women of Mobile.
The participants include Seth Burton, Dale Shelton Deas Jr., Steve Marshall, and Rodney Walker.
Rep. Barry Moore and Jared Hudson are not participating.
Not reading this story on the WSFA News App? Get news alerts FASTER and FREE in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store!
Copyright 2026 WSFA. All rights reserved.
Alabama basketball’s Nate Oats weighs in on 2026 NBA Draft exits | VIDEO
Alabama basketball’s Amari Allen and Labaron Philon are off to the 2026 NBA Draft. Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats weighed in on their decisions.
Alabama basketball’s 2025-26 season was one of the most injury-filled years that Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats has experienced in Tuscaloosa.
The health of last year’s Alabama team was a storyline before exhibition play even began. Veteran Latrell Wrightsell Jr. was returning amid recovery for a ruptured Achilles tendon. Transfer guard Jalil Bethea joined the bench after a left foot injury. Collins Onyejiaka and Davion Hannah both spent the majority of their freshman seasons sidelined with medical conditions. Down the stretch, Taylor Bol Bowen played with a fractured hand. Amari Allen, Aden Holloway, London Jemison and Aiden Sherrell all dealt with tweaks and dings.
As the Crimson Tide’s Sweet 16 run came to a close, even Labaron Philon revealed that his injury wasn’t limited to December or January. He played hurt for the entire year.
With the only Alabama player to appear in each game being Houston Mallette, who redshirted his first year with the program, the training room was busy for athletic training and conditioning staffers Clarke Holter, Henry Barrera and Amanda Branson.
Here’s a breakdown of the salaries for the trio who worked behind the scenes to make another NCAA Tournament possible, per information acquired by The Tuscaloosa News from an open records request to the University of Alabama.
What are salaries of Alabama men’s basketball training staff?
Holter has served as athletic trainer for the men’s basketball team for 11 seasons. Barrera has been the program’s strength and conditioning coach since 2022.
Holter received a salary increase in July 2025, making his new annual salary $139,050.
Barrera also received a pay increase in July 2025. He is the highest-paid of the three at $257,500.20 annually.
The exact date of Branson’s hire is unknown. However, public UA payroll data for Branson dates back to 2019.
Branson’s increase letter ahead of the 2025-26 season said that she would be paid $128,750.16.
In a season defined by injuries, their work became as critical as anything that happened on the court.
Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for The Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@usatodayco.com.
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