After getting blown out and completely dominated by Oklahoma on Saturday night in a 24-3 loss, it is probably over for the 2024 Alabama Crimson Tide when it comes to their College Football Playoff hopes.
The loss drops Alabama to 8-3 on the season, and that is probably going to be one too many losses to get into the 12-team field.
Especially when two of those losses have come against a now 6-5 Oklahoma team and a 6-5 Vanderbilt team.
Alabama entered the day ranked No. 7 in the latest rankings.
This loss was especially bad, as Alabama never seemed to be in the game and had no answer for Oklahoma’s defense.
Quarterback Jalen Milroe played one of his worst games of the season (and probably his college career), completing just 11-of-26 passes for only 164 yards, zero touchdowns and three interceptions.
One of those interceptions was returned 49 yards for an Oklahoma touchdown in the third quarter to help put the game away.
Even worse, Alabama’s defense was shredded by the Sooners’ running game, allowing a pair of 100-yard rushers. It was a complete, team-wide failure in a game it had to have.
There will be a lot of debate about strength of conference and resumes when it comes to the playoff field, especially as it relates to teams like Indiana, but there is no way a three-loss team (even in the SEC) can get into the field over any one-loss team or even most two-loss teams. You can make an argument for a two-loss Alabama team. You can not make one for a three-loss Alabama team. Especially given the way this loss happened.
Aside from what it does to Alabama’s playoff chances, it also ends an extremely impressive streak for the program.
This is the first time Alabama has lost more than two games in a season since the 2010 season, snapping a streak of 13 consecutive seasons with two losses or less.
Overall it has been a disappointing debut season for first-year coach Kalen DeBoer. Following an all-time great like Nick Saban was never going to be easy, and even if Alabama ends up winning 10 games this season that is still going to be seen as a failure given the expectations the program carries.
