Paul Finebaum makes case for Alabama to make College Football Playoff despite SEC Championship loss

Alabama‘s 28-7 loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship game dropped the Crimson Tide to 10-3 on the season. With Alabama sitting at No. 9 in the last rankings — is Kalen DeBoer’s squad out of the playoff race?

According to Paul Finebaum, that’s not the case. In face, the SEC Network host believes that the Crimson Tide will be able to squeeze in despite suffering a third defeat before the bracket reveal.

“I know what everyone is saying, and I get it. We all watched the same game. Alabama was an utter disgrace,” Finebaum said on SportsCenter Sunday morning. “It was one of the most humiliating performances I’ve seen (from) Alabama in a big game in a very long time, but you just can’t rip them out because you’re sitting in a bar and you lost a bet. Alabama has a very good resume, and they did, everybody repeat after me: they beat Georgia, the SEC champion, in Athens in late September.”

Finebaum said splitting those two matchups “should really matter.” Though, it ignites the conversation regarding the teams on the bubble, like Miami or Notre Dame, who are still at two losses because they didn’t play during conference championship week.

Should those teams be considered before the Crimson Tide? Or should Alabama not be punished for playing an extra game? After all, it came against a Georgia team that is expected to be one of the top-four seeds in this year’s College Football Playoff.

The fact that Alabama has the prior win over Georgia goes a long way in arguing in the Crimson Tide’s favor. To do so on the road helps even more. Though, considering Alabama now has two losses since November could be cause for concern. They previously lost to Oklahoma, a team expected to be in the playoff field, 23-21 at home.

Notably, no at-large team has ever made the playoff field with three losses. Clemson made it last season with three losses, but got in as the 12-seed after upsetting SMU in the ACC title game. Though, when the field expanded, it was generally accepted that a three-loss team, or multiple, would find their way into the playoff down the road.

All of these questions will be answered when the 2025-26 College Football Playoff bracket is revealed on Sunday at Noon ET. The Crimson Tide and its faithful are sure to be tuned into the three-hour event live on ESPN.