FAYETTEVILLE, AR - NOVEMBER 9: Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide is helped off the field after being injured on a play in the first half of a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium on November 16, 2019 in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)On Tuesday night, the College Football Playoff committee released its new rankings following Week 12 of the college football season.
LSU held down the top spot, with Ohio State, Clemson and Georgia rounding out the current playoff foursome. Just outside the top four is Alabama, which came in at No. 5.
However, the Tide might not be there for long.
After losing star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to a season-ending injury, one college football analyst thinks the playoff committee “should and would” penalize Alabama for decreased performance.
If Mac Jones fails to find success this weekend and next weekend against Auburn, Joel Klatt thinks Alabama should drop in the poll.
Here’s what he had to say, via the New York Post:
“This is exactly why he have a committee of 13 people instead of computers. It is my belief they should and would penalize Alabama, particularly if they show they are a weaker team without Tua. People will point to [Ohio State’s] Cardale Jones [replacing an injured R.J. Barrett], but they beat Wisconsin 59-0 and showed they might even be better with Cardale. So, now it is incumbent on Alabama and Mac Jones to beat Auburn handily to show they are the same or better without Tua.”
He’s not wrong. If the Crimson Tide struggle without Tua, they will most certainly drop in the poll – especially if teams right on their heels continue to find success.
Can Mac Jones keep the Tide in the playoff race?
