Tide avoids Iron Bowl shocker … Alabama survived a major upset in today’s Iron Bowl when the 3rd ranked Tide drove 98 yards for a tying TD in the game’s final two minutes and then outscored Auburn in overtime to come away with a 24-22 win. THE big question for Alabama, though, was it enough to get them into the 4-team CFP playoff even if they lose next weekend’s conference championship game against top-ranked Georgia. That would give Alabama a second loss on the season and they would need the committee to vault them over several one-loss teams. That seemed almost inevitable 2-3 weeks ago, but it isn’t as clear-cut today. Alabama has had a couple of closer than expected wins of late and needing OT to beat a 6-5 team playing with a backup QB isn’t going to impress anybody. Then there’s the pesky matter of having Notre Dame as the most likely one-loss team Alabama would have to push out of the playoff structure to get a spot. And while Georgia and Alabama have been ticketed for the SEC final for several weeks now, most of the other conference championship game slots came down to the final weekend. Michigan, for example, will play Iowa in the Big Ten conference final next Saturday after Minnesota upset Wisconsin to send the Hawkeyes to Indianapolis; it will be Pitt versus Wake Forest in the ACC final – hands up everyone who had those two in their pre-season pool and Oregon will play Utah in the PAC-12 title just a couple of weeks after the Utes knocked the Ducks out of the national playoff picture. Meanwhile, the Big XII title game will be between Baylor and the winner of tonight’s Bedlam game between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, which is currently tied at the half. And in the one non-Power 5 championship game that anyone should really care about, Cincinnati will play Houston with a chance to be the first NP5 team to get to the playoffs. Should be an interesting week ahead.
