Who Should Alabama Fans be Rooting For and Against in CFP Chase

For the Crimson Tide to make the 2024-25 College Football Playoff it'll need to move up a little rankings prior to the conference championships.

2024-25 College Football Playoff Bracket / CFP

Let's say for a moment that the AP Top 25 got this week's rankings right in that they'll mirror what the College Football Playoff committee announces on Tuesday night, and the Alabama Crimson Tide is No. 13 following Saturday 24-3 setback at Oklahoma.

Yes, the Crimson Tide (8-3) would still be in the running for a playoff spot a it can land one of the seven at-large bids. However, to over-simplify, it would need at least two major upsets this week and not see a team leapfrog past it in the rankings (or three and one, etc.). It obviously has to beat Auburn at home in the Iron Bowl as well. But if Alabama can't move up to at least No. 11 (and No. 10 would be much better), its chances will be just about none.

Why No. 11 when it's a 12-team field? Somehow the Big 12 will have a champion between Arizona State, Iowa State, Colorado and BYU, all 6-2 in conference play, which will then get a first-round bye with the three other top league champions. All of those Big 12 teams are below Alabama in the rankings for now, plus it assumes that No. 11 Boise State secures a spot as the highest-ranked Group of 5 team.

That's a lot that needs to go in Alabama's way even though a lot of teams are playing rivalry games this week. There's also the risk of an upset in a conference title game that could propel an unexpected team into the brackets.

Here's a look at who Alabama fans should be rooting for, and against during Thanksgiving Week, basically hoping for upsets and chaos. Note that all rankings are from the AP Top 25 and not from the CFP committee:

Georgia Tech No. 6 Georgia, Friday, 6:30 p.m., ABC

The Bulldogs are already in the SEC Championship Game so maybe the only way Alabama can move back ahead of Georgia is for it to lose twice. Crimson Tide fans are going to root against Kirby Smart's team anyway so they don't have to do anything unusual wit this one.

No. 7 Tennessee at Vanderbilt, Saturday, 11 a.m., ABC

The Volunteers have been eliminated from contention for the SEC Championship Game, so are facing a win-and-in scenario for the playoff. The Commodores have been giant killers this season and already locked down a bowl spot, but have lost three of their last four.

No. 16 South Carolina at No. 12 Clemson, Saturday, 11 a.m. , ESPN

This might be the key game. Alabama fans want to be pulling for the Gamecocks in a big way because otherwise the Tigers pretty much lock themselves in ahead of the Crimson Tide even if they don't play in the ACC Championship Game. Most oddsmakers have Clemson around -2.5, which is within the usual home-field difference.

No. 5 Notre Dame at USC, Saturday, 2:30 p.m. , CBS

The Fighting Irish have four wins against ranked opponents (Texas A&M, Louisville, Army and Navy) although none were higher than No. 15. The Trojans are 6-5 and coming off close wins against Nebraska and UCLA. However, their only loss at home was 33-30 to Penn State. Imagine if the committee had one spot and had to choose between a three-loss Alabama team and a two-loss Notre Dame squad?

No. 8 Miami at Syracuse, Saturday, 2:30 p.m. , ESPN

The Hurricanes need a win to secure a spot in the ACC Championship Game, while the Orange are a surprising 8-3 (4-3 league play), and 5-1 at home. Miami hasn't played a ranked opponent all season so a loss here would likely knock it out of playoff contention.

Cal at No. 9 SMU, Saturday 2:30 p.m. , ESPN2

The Mustangs are an interesting team for the playoff committee to weigh and consider. Their only loss this season was to BYU. Meanwhile, SMU has wins over two ranked teams, Louisville and Pitt. Cal may be 6-5, but it's a tough team for Crimson Tide fans to have faith in for pulling off a road upset.

Maryland at No. 4 Penn State, Saturday 2:30 p.m., BTN

Could the Nittany Lions fall behind the Crimson Tide with a loss? It's possible. Penn State is 1-1 against ranked teams this season, the win coming against No. 19 Illinois in September. Just don't count on it, especially since 4-7 Maryland will be on the road and a huge underdog,.

Purdue at No. 10 Indiana, Saturday, 6 p.m., Fox Sports 1

How the Hoosiers bounce back from the deflating loss at Ohio State will be the key here. The Buckeyes are the only ranked team Indiana has played this season, and the Boilermakers would love nothing better than to knock their rival out of playoff contention. However, Indiana is favored by almost 30 points.

No. 3 Texas at No. 20 Texas A&M, Saturday, 6:30 p.m., ABC

The Aggies can still get in the playoff, but would have to beat Texas and Georgia in the SEC Championship Game on consecutive weekends. That's a tall order, even in the land of cowboy hats. Should the Longhorns lose they'd still be ahead of Alabama in the rankings so the easiest thing for Crimson Tide fans is to just root for Texas in this one. The X-factor of course is Kyle Field.

So how many of the non-ranked/lesser-ranked teams listed above are favored by oddsmakers? None.

Which ranked teams/high-ranked teams are favored by fewer than 10 points? Just three, Notre Dame, Clemson and Texas.

Note: This story will be updated as necessary

Week 14 College Football Schedule

Tuesday, Nov. 26 (All times CT)
6 p.m. | Toledo at Akron | ESPN2
6 p.m. | Kent State at Buffalo | ESPN+

Thursday, Nov. 28
1 p.m. | Tuskegee at Alabama State | ESPNU
6:30 p.m. | Memphis at Tulane | ESPN

Friday's Games
11 a.m. | Oregon State at Boise State | Fox
11 a.m. | Oklahoma State at Colorado | ABC/ESPN+
11 a.m. | Minnesota at Wisconsin | CBS
11 a.m. | Miami (Ohio) at Bowling Green | ESPNU
11 a.m. | Navy at East Carolina | ESPN
11 a.m. | Illinois at Northwestern | Big Ten Network
11 a.m. | Kansas at Baylor | ESPN2
11 a.m. | Ball State at Ohio | CBSSN
2:30 p.m. | Mississippi State at Ole Miss | ABC/ESPN+
2:30 p.m. | Liberty at Sam Houston | CBSSN
2:30 p.m. | Utah State at Colorado State | FS1
2:30 p.m. | Texas State at South Alabama | ESPN+
3 p.m. | Stanford at San Jose State | CBS
3 p.m. | Alabama A&M at Florida A&M | ESPN+
6:30 p.m. | Georgia Tech at Georgia | ABC/ESPN+
6:30 p.m. | Nebraska at Iowa | NBC
7 p.m. | Utah at UCF | FOX

Saturday's Games
11 a.m. | Michigan at Ohio State | FOX
11 a.m. | Tennessee at Vanderbilt | ABC/ESPN+
11 a.m. | South Carolina at Clemson | ESPN
11 a.m. | UTSA at Army | CBSSN
11 a.m. | Louisville at Kentucky | SEC Network
11 a.m. | UConn at UMass | ESPN+
11 a.m. | Duke at Wake Forest | ACC Network
11 a.m. | Louisiana at UL Monroe | ESPNU
11 a.m. | North Texas at Temple | ESPN+
11:30 p.m. | Eastern Michigan at Western Michigan | ESPN+
11 a.m. | West Virginia at Texas Tech | Fox Sports 1
1 p.m. | Middle Tennessee at Florida International | ESPN+
1 p.m. | Coastal Carolina at Georgia State | ESPN+
1 p.m. | Southern Miss at Troy | ESPN+
1 p.m. | South Florida at Rice | ESPN+
1 p.m. | Southern vs. Grambling (New Orleans, Louisiana) | NBC
2 p.m. | Old Dominion at Arkansas State | ESPN+
2 p.m. | Pitt at Boston College | CW
2:30 p.m. | Maryland at Penn State | Big Ten Network
2:30 p.m. | Auburn at Alabama | ABC/ESPN+
2:30 p.m. | Miami (Fla.) at Syracuse | ESPN
2:30 p.m. | Cal at SMU | ESPN2
2:30 p.m. | Notre Dame at USC | CBS
2:30 p.m. | Arizona State at Arizona | Fox
2:30 p.m. | Rutgers at Michigan State | FS1
2:30 p.m. | Arkansas at Missouri | SEC Network
2:30 p.m. | NC State at North Carolina | ACC Network
2:30 p.m. | UAB at Charlotte | ESPN+
2:30 p.m. | Florida Atlantic at Tulsa | ESPN+
2:30 p.m. | Fresno State at UCLA | Big Ten Network
2:30 p.m. | Central Michigan at Northern Illinois | CBSSN
3 p.m. | Jacksonville State at Western Kentucky | ESPNU
3 p.m. | Kennesaw State at Louisiana Tech | ESPN+
3 p.m. | UTEP at New Mexico State | ESPN+
5 p.m. | TCU at Cincinnati | ESPN+
5 p.m. | Appalachian State at Georgia Southern | ESPN+
5:30 p.m. | Wyoming at Washington State | CW Network
6 p.m. | Oklahoma at LSU | ESPN
6 p.m. | Florida at Florida State | ESPN2
6 p.m. | Purdue at Indiana | Fox Sports 1
6:30 p.m. | Kansas State at Iowa State | Fox
6:30 p.m. | Texas at Texas A&M | ABC/SEC Network
6:30 p.m. | Washington at Oregon | NBC
7 p.m. | Nevada at UNLV | CBSSN
7 p.m. | Virginia at Virginia Tech | ACC Network
7 p.m. | Marshall at James Madison | ESPNU
9:15 p.m. | Houston at BYU | ESPN
9:30 p.m. | Air Force at San Diego State | FS1
10 p.m. | New Mexico at Hawai'i | Spectrum Sports PPV

Week 15 College Football Schedule

Friday, Dec. 6
6 p.m. | Conference USA Championship Game | CBSSN
7 p.m. | AAC Championship Game | ABC
7 p.m. | Mountain West Championship Game | FOX

Saturday, Dec. 7
11 a.m. | Big 12 Championship Game (Arlington, Texas) | ABC
11 a.m. | MAC Championship Game (Detroit, Michigan) | ESPN
1 p.m. | Southern at Jackson State (SWAC Championship) | ESPN2
3 p.m. | SEC Championship Game (Atlanta) | ABC
6:30 p.m. | Sun Belt Championship Game | ESPN
7 p.m. | ACC Championship Game (Charlotte, North Carolina) | ABC
7 p.m. | Big Ten Championship Game (Indianapolis) | CBS

See Also: Alabama Will Have to Find Will to Win with Postseason Fate Out of Control