The debate over whether three-loss Alabama Crimson Tide would make the College Football Playoff came down to a difficult call for the selection committee.
With conference championship weekend concluded and Alabama coming off a 28-7 drubbing by Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game, there was no guarantee in the 12-team field.
The Crimson Tide should be on the outside looking in after a season-ending slump, referencing past committee decisions penalizing teams that fade into Selection Sunday. However, that precedent cuts the other way, most recently teams already projected into the playoff survived even after late losses.
With Alabama officially in and Notre Dame out, NBC Sports Nicole Auerbach took to social media and didn't hold back.
"This is the worst selection committee we've ever had," she wrote.
"Cannot believe Alabama didn't even drop one spot after the SEC title game blowout. Cannot believe they waited until the final reveal to flip Miami-ND. Could have done it at ANY point."
Key to the decision was how the committee weighed Alabama’s body of work, with strong wins earlier in the season after Florida State against its recent collapse.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Miami Hurricanes fought for a spot, despite not playing this weekend, thanks to strong resumes and indirect leverage via conference-championship results elsewhere.
The committee’s final decision had broader implications. It also sent a clear message to Notre Dame that it's time to join a conference. Since they didn't exclude a team that reached its conference title game, this could be a time to reconsider the value of conference championships going forward.
More college football news:
- Deion Sanders buyout, contract details as Colorado Buffaloes coach
- Virginia Tech reportedly funding roster near top of ACC for James Franklin
- Leaked NSFW audio exposes Penn State AD Pat Kraft’s identity crisis in Happy Valley
- Diego Pavia asks Donald Trump to fix the College Football Playoff