Nick Saban Makes Case for Alabama's CFP Hopes After Win over Auburn in Iron Bowl

The No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the unranked Auburn Tigers 49-27 in the Iron Bowl on Saturday to improve to 10-2, and now head coach Nick Saban is lobbying for his team to be selected for the College Football Playoff.

Saban told ESPN's Chris Low:

"I don't make those decisions, but I know what a resilient football team this has been. We've lost two games to top-10 opponents, both on the last play of the game and both on the road. We could have easily won both games but didn't. We're a good football team and hopefully people will recognize that and we'll get a chance [to play in the playoff]."

Aside from the 2020 College Football Playoff, the Crimson Tide have been one of the four teams selected for the prestigious tournament since its formation in 2014. If selected this season, Alabama would become the first two-loss team to ever make the CFP.

The only two losses Alabama suffered this season came to No. 10 Tennessee and No. 5 LSU. The Volunteers defeated the Crimson Tide 52-49 on a last-second field goal, and the Tigers won on a two-point conversion.

"We've had a lot of close games, didn't always play our best in those games, but did enough to get to 10 wins and hung in there as a team. I guess we will see what happens now," Saban said.

Saban added that he believes his team has been much better since quarterback Bryce Young recovered from an injury to his throwing shoulder. Young missed a game against Texas A&M before returning in the loss to Tennessee.

It's worth wondering whether or not the Crimson Tide would have defeated the Vols if Young was fully healthy, but that's still not going to be a factor in the selection committee's process. A loss is a loss, and Alabama had every opportunity to win that game.

There's still a good amount of hope for Alabama to make the College Football Playoff. No. 7 Clemson, No. 2 Ohio State and No 10. Oregon all lost on Saturday. The team's odds will likely get better if TCU and USC both lose their respective conference championship games.

We'll certainly be entering rare territory if Alabama isn't selected for the CFP, though it could end up being one of the more exciting playoffs of recent memory.