Alabama Must Win Out Or They Could End Up On The Outside Looking In

Doug Benc/Getty Images

For Alabama fans and players there was, of course, a great sense of accomplishment when Alabama defeated LSU and won the SEC's Western Division on Nov. 7 in Tuscaloosa, AL.

There was also a great sense of relief by Alabama players and fans that one of Alabama's goals had been accomplished as well.

Many Alabama fans immediately turned their attention toward Florida and the SEC Championship Game. Some overzealous fans even started looking forward to the BCS Championship to be played in Pasadena, CA on Jan. 7, 2010.

It's not that they weren't aware that there were still three more regular season games on Alabama's schedule, they just would rather fast forward to Dec. 5, 2009, and the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta, GA, and beyond.

Who wouldn't rather dream about Championships in Atlanta or Pasadena, Ca rather than picture Alabama being in Starkville, MS on Nov. 14.

Well, I hate to spoil the party for those Alabama fans, but there are still three teams left on the Tide's regular schedule and that might be a problem.

Those teams, Mississippi State, UT Chattanooga, and Auburn would love nothing more than to dash Alabama's hopes of going undefeated and playing for their first National Championship since 1992.

Sure, the SEC Championship Game with the Florida Gators is a certainty, but a loss to any of the teams left on Alabama's regular schedule could torpedo the Crimson Tides hopes of playing in the BCS Championship Game in Pasadena.

Make no mistake, Alabama will be favored in all of the regular season games left on their schedule, but being favored doesn't guarantee a win. There are still at least two teams still on the schedule that could beat Alabama on a given Saturday.

No SEC team has had back-to-back undefeated regular seasons since Alabama did it in 1965 and 1966—and that is a fact. Alabama will have their work cut out for them to make history by being the first in over 40 years to accomplish that feat.

Then there is the BCS Title game that takes place on Jan. 7, 2009.

Some may think that game is a certainty if Alabama beats Florida in Atlanta. 

Really?

There are presently six undefeated teams left in the BCS standings. They are Florida, Alabama, Texas, Cincinnati, TCU and Boise State.

If Alabama should stumble and lose to any of the teams left on their regular schedule, they would essentially be eliminated from any chance of playing for the National Championship in my opinion.

They could be one and done as far as the BCS championship is concerned. That is right, Alabama must win out or they could end up on the outside looking in because one loss may not cut it when all the votes are counted.

I know that some Alabama fans are going to argue that if a one loss Alabama beats No. 1 Florida they would still go still to Pasadena and play Texas for the National championship.

My response to that will surprise some of you.

I submit that a one loss Alabama will not play Texas in the BCS Championship Game as long as any of the other three unbeaten teams stay undefeated.

It won't matter even if a one loss Alabama were to beat No. 1 Florida in the SEC Championship. In fact all that would do is possibly eliminate the SEC from the BCS picture completely.

Texas could very well end up playing an undefeated Cincinnati, TCU or Boise State in the BCS Title Game instead of the one loss SEC Champion.

I know this has not been the case in the past, but with Utah beating Alabama last year and there being more and more media people singing the praises of these so called non-BCS teams, I believe it will be almost a certainty this year.

I believe the song about these so called smaller teams not being as good as the major teams has been sung for the last time. 

There will be a major push for one of them to get their shot if Florida, Alabama, or Texas stumble.

Since teams like Boise State, BYU, and Utah have beaten teams like Alabama, Oklahoma, and Oregon convincingly of late, there would be a lot of resistance to placing a one loss Alabama ahead of any undefeated team in the Top 10.

Teams like Cincinnati, TCU, or Boise State have the edge this year when it comes to this one loss scenario more than ever before. They have made their point at the expense teams like Oklahoma and Alabama.

The same would be true with Texas or Florida should they should stumble. Texas or Florida might just be watching the BCS Championship on television if they should lose to any of the teams on their regular schedule as well.

The answer to this dilemma as far as Alabama is concerned is simple: don't lose!

Alabama holds all the cards, unlike Cincinnati, TCU, and Boise State who have to hope and pray Florida, Alabama, or Texas lose. All Alabama has to do is keep winning!

What is ahead for Alabama just amounts to a single elimination tournament.

Alabama must play one game at a time and keep winning and eventually they will look up and see Texas across the field from them in January.

There is really nothing to complain about here, after all what more can Alabama fans ask for and what more can Alabama expect?

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?