Paul Finebaum reacts to Alabama's inexcusable loss to Oklahoma, impact on CFP chances

No. 4 Alabama suffered its first home loss of the season Saturday night to No. 11 Oklahoma 23-21. The Crimson Tide had rattled off eight consecutive wins after dropping their season-opener to Florida State, but that streak ended in Tuscaloosa.

For the second consecutive season now, the Crimson Tide have dropped their second-to-last SEC game prior to their Iron Bowl matchup against Auburn. Both of those losses have come to Oklahoma.

ESPN‘s Paul Finebaum called Alabama‘s loss ‘inexcusable’ during a hit on Monday’s edition of ‘McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning‘.

“It is inexcusable when you consider everything that is at stake and how much easier Alabama’s position (to make the College Football Playoff) would be,” Finebaum said. “At this point in the season, you don’t really get caught up as much on hyperbole but reality. And the reality is Alabama is still in reasonably good shape. So, I think that’s what happens in the age of the Playoff.

“In any other year in the past, this would have been a cataclysmic but it doesn’t feel that bad. I don’t sense the reaction yet being that bad because the Auburn game is ahead. It’s not simple, but beating an Auburn team that’s already fired its coach shouldn’t be the biggest task for a program on its way to hopefully winning a SEC or National Championship.”

Iron Bowl matchup vs. Auburn is now a must-win game for Alabama

Alabama fell behind OU 10-0 after the first quarter, but responded with a Daniel Hill one-yard rushing touchdown early in the second quarter. Both teams traded touchdowns before the half, and a 52-yard field goal nailed by Oklahoma kicker Tate Sandell extended its lead to 20-14 early in the third. Hill’s second rushing score of the game gave the Crimson Tide their first lead mid-way through the third, but Sandell’s 24-yard field goal with 13:41 remaining in regulation would be the deciding score.

Oklahoma held Alabama to just two possessions in the fourth quarter. The first drive was a three-and-out which resulted in a punt, and the second was a 13-play, 42-yard drive that ended with a Ty Simpson incomplete pass on 4th & 6 from the Alabama 48-yard line.

No. 5 Georgia routed No. 10 Texas 35-10 in Athens Saturday night, finishing up its conference slate with a 7-1 record. Alabama now sits at 6-1 against SEC competition, making its Iron Bowl matchup against Auburn a must-win game for both the Crimson Tide’s SEC Championship Game and College Football Playoff hopes.