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Nick Saban Advocates for Alabama to Make CFP, Says Team's Current Play Is a Strength
December 4, 2022
Alabama head coach Nick Saban is making the case for the Crimson Tide to be one of the four teams selected for the 2022 College Football Playoff.
While speaking on ESPN's College Football Show, Saban discussed Bryce Young's shoulder injury and how it limited him earlier in the season, per ESPN's Alex Scarborough. Additionally, Saban noted that his team has played well over the last three weeks of the season, going 3-0.
The longtime Alabama head coach said the CFP Selection Committee must ask itself: "How are they playing at present?"
Saban made similar comments after Alabama defeated Auburn in the Iron Bowl on Nov. 26, via 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]."
Alabama went 10-2 this season, suffering losses to No. 7 Tennessee and No. 14 LSU. They fell to the Volunteers on a last-second field goal, and lost to LSU when the Tigers scored on a late two-point conversion.
The Crimson Tide are currently ranked No. 6 in the CFP rankings behind Georgia, Michigan, TCU, USC and Ohio State.
USC's loss to Utah in the Pac-12 Championship Game and TCU's loss to Kansas State in the Big 12 Championship Game opened the door for a two-loss team like Alabama to be selected for the CFP.
If the Crimson Tide are picked for the four-team playoff, they would be the first-ever two-loss team to be picked for the CFP. Additionally, Alabama has appeared in every CFP since its inception in 2014, except for 2020.
The CFP Selection Committee is set to make its picks on Sunday. If Alabama is not selected, they will at least appear in a non-playoff bowl game.