Alabama football fans watched with glee as the Clemson Tigers fell on the road to Syracuse on Friday night. Can anyone else hang with the Crimson Tide?
One loss does not eliminate anyone from the College Football Playoff. In fact, there has yet to be an undefeated team win the National Title in the College Football Playoff era. Alabama had that chance a year ago, but it was Clemson that wrestled it away from them literally at the last second.
Just like a year ago, the Tigers have lost a game against what was a very beatable opponent. With Washington State falling victim to a suffocating defensive effort by Cal in #Pac12AfterDark the list of elite teams is starting to thin out considerably.
No. 3 Penn State (6-0), No. 4 Georgia (6-0), No. 5 Washington (6-0), No. 6 TCU (5-0) and No. 7 Wisconsin (5-0) are all that remain in the ranks of the Power 5 unbeatens. It’s never safe to assume anything in college football, but there certainly seems to be a separation between those five teams and the Crimson Tide.
Alabama has crushed every opponent they’ve played. Even in an eight point victory over Texas A&M in Week 6, the Tide controlled the game from start to finish. You can’t say the same about any of those other teams. Each has struggled and looked mortal at times. They’re some of the nation’s best, but they aren’t playing at the same level as the Crimson Tide.
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It’s not time to write Alabama in as the 2017 College Football Playoff National Champions, yet. However, you’d be a fool to put your money on anyone else. Nick Saban’s squad has looked like the real deal against every team they’ve faced this year. Another blowout victory against Arkansas should be enough to prove the Tide belong in a category all to themselves.