Alabama’s 2025 football campaign is a prime case study in how brand reputation can overshadow objective evaluation when it comes to playoff selection. The Crimson Tide, sitting at 10-2, is still being discussed for a College Football Playoff (CFP) berth , despite a resume littered with pitfalls no truly elite program would accept.

Their signature blemish is a double-digit defeat at the hands of a Florida State team that failed even to reach bowl eligibility. Paired with a late-season home loss to Oklahoma and ongoing offensive concerns, Alabama’s inclusion would bend the playoff’s intent beyond recognition. Selection must go to teams demonstrating consistent excellence, not those coasting on past glories or the committee’s desire for blue-blood representation.

Why Alabama’s opening los

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