On Sunday, the college football playoff committee revealed the final 12 teams that would be playing for a championship over the coming months, and to the surprise of some, the Alabama football program was able to backdoor its way into the mix. This occurred despite the Crimson Tide laying an egg on Saturday in the SEC Championship Game against the Georgia Bulldogs , which some felt might drop Alabama out of the mix altogether.

After the rankings were announced on ESPN, committee spokesman Hunter Yurachek spoke on what went into that decision.

“Regardless of Alabama's performance yesterday, their body of work over 12 games … with a strength of schedule that was highest in the top 11 … we felt they were deserving to stay in the 9 spot,” said Yurachek, per Chase Goodbread of The Tusc

See Full Page