College football season is reaching the home stretch, which means the weekly reveal and subsequent over-analysis of College Football Playoff rankings ahead of the last edition of the 12-team field.
The Alabama Crimson Tide is in the thick of the playoff race and after the victory over LSU, the Tide was ranked No. 3 in this week’s batch. If the season were to end tomorrow, this means Alabama would have a bye in the first round. Unlike last year, where they had to travel to Oklahoma to face the Sooners in the first round, the Tide would sit out entirely and await the winner of Kentucky and Texas.
Here's what the #CFP bracket would like if the season ended today 👀🏆 pic.twitter.com/5Gekzx3WdU
— CFP (@CFBPlayoff) November 11, 2026
There is still three weeks left though, and if Alabama was to drop out of the top-four — which is certainly possible depending on how the race for the SEC title shakes out — then it would be playing in the first round.
Should the Tide be bumped out of the top-four but remain inside the top-eight, this would mean for the first time in history, Tuscaloosa and Bryant-Denny Stadium would be hosting a playoff game. The No. 5 seed will host the No. 12 seed, the No. 6 seed will host the No. 11 seed, the No. 7 seed will host the No. 10 seed and the No. 8 seed will host the No. 9 seed.
If Alabama was to lose out on the tiebreaker for the SEC title game and be denied a shot to play in Atlanta, or even make it to the game and lose to Georgia again, it’s unlikely they would wind up with that first round bye.
However, if they do in fact win out, it’s also equally unlikely a 10-2 SEC team currently ranked at No. 3 is going to drop below No. 8.
So Alabama fans who want to see the Tide host a playoff game at Bryant-Denny Stadium should be rooting for the Crimson Tide to win out and ultimately be left out of the SEC Championship, because the team would get that rest it would have had from the bye anyway, then have the chance to host a playoff game at home.
It’s safe to say Tuscaloosa would be absolutely insane if Alabama were to have this historic event occur, and the way things are shaking out, it’s starting to look potentially likely.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.
