A season agothe Alabama Crimson Tide advanced to the College Football Playoff despite losing a game during the regular season. Their inclusion in the four-team CFP caused controversy as it forced undefeated Florida State to remain out of the national championship tournament.
A year later, Alabama didn’t get the benefit of the now 12-team CFP having a worse record than any other team in contention. Despite ranking No. 11 in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 and the AP poll, Alabama was left out of the inaugural 12-team CFP after finishing the regular season 9–3. Instead of competing for a title, Alabama will face Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
Alabama’s exclusion subsequently prompted further investigation No. 8 Indiana fell completely flat at No. 5 Notre Dame in the first game of the CFP. Several college football and Alabama fans called on the committee to put Indiana in the tournament over the Crimson Tide following the Hoosiers ’27–17 loss to the Fighting Irish.
Alabama fans are watching this game:pic.twitter.com/W8Ri1cqtRT
— Clint Lamb (@ClintRLamb) December 21, 2024
People really wanted Indiana over Alabama. I’m so sick.
— Breiden Fehoko (@BreidenFehoko) December 21, 2024
Alabama and Miami now look at Indiana:pic.twitter.com/gZrP5Pj8fq
— DraftKings (@DraftKings) December 21, 2024
Alabama should have been in the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/VnUF2wCfo8
— Blain Crain (@Blain_Crain) December 21, 2024
We won’t get our top 12 teams until the play-offs
CFB comes up with a balanced schedule! Indiana had a great season, but again, this loss, combined with OSU, is another reason why teams can’t be judged by record alone. Alabama, with 3 losses, was a better team.— Mike Hill (@ItsMikeHill) December 21, 2024
I’m not saying Alabama deserved to be in the playoffs.
But Alabama would beat this Indiana team on a neutral court.
— Alabama Crimson Tide (@forevercrimson_) December 21, 2024
While Indiana was disappointed in their CFP debut, they weren’t necessarily on the verge of missing the CFP this season. Although the Hoosiers had an easy schedule during the regular season, they went an impressive 11-1 and only fell to Ohio State, another CFP team, during the regular season.
As many other fans noted, Alabama didn’t take care of business when it mattered during the regular season. The Crimson Tide got blown out by Oklahoma at the end of the season and also fell to Vanderbilt. They may have been a better team overall, but losing to two unranked teams can’t be overlooked.
And no, a three-loss Alabama team that lost to 6-6 Vanderbilt and 6-6 Oklahoma doesn’t deserve to be in more than 11-1 Indiana, whose only losses came to CFP teams.
Not even close.
— Kyle Glaser (@KyleAGlaser) December 21, 2024
Alabama would have had a chance to prove it if they hadn’t lost – once in a big way – to two six-loss teams. That, my friend, is also the reason you can’t say what you just said. https://t.co/HpUIBqXt04
— Ari Wasserman (@AriWasserman) December 21, 2024
IU went undefeated against mid-tier teams this year, and Bama did not. I can’t start them because they lost one game to a top 10 team
— And That’s Baseball (@AndThatsBB) December 21, 2024