Alabama football expected to have first-round bye in latest Playoff projections

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA – AUGUST 31: Head coach Kalen DeBoer and Jalen Milroe #4 of the Alabama Crimson Tide talk during the second half against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Bryant-Denny Stadium on August 31, 2024 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Brandon Sumrall/Getty Images)

Even though it was a Group of 5 opponent, the Alabama Crimson Tide looked as good as anyone in Week 1 as they blew out the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 63-0. Many people doubted the Tide’s Playoff chances under Kalen DeBoer in year one but with a 12-team field, it’s hard to see Alabama not competing for a championship in 2024.

Brett McMurphy of the Action Network projects that the Tide will win the SEC Championship and earn a No. 2 seed in this year’s Playoff. He predicts that Alabama will face the winner of the No. 10 seed USC Trojans and No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions. Despite an ugly Week 1 performance against the Idaho Vandals, McMurphy still has the Oregon Ducks earning the top seed.

Ultimately, he predicts that the Georgia Bulldogs will knock off Oregon in the Cotton Bowl semifinal while Alabama beats Ohio State in the Orange Bowl setting up an all-SEC title game, again.

The Crimson Tide will be back in action on Saturday when they host the 1-0 USF Bulls, a team that gave Nick Saban severe headaches a season ago in an ugly 17-3 victory.

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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama football expected to have first-round bye in latest Playoff projections

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/alabama-football-expected-first-round-153039184.html

Author : Roll Tide Wire

Publish date : 2024-09-05 15:30:39

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