Alabama football narrowly missed out on making the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff during Kalen DeBoer’s first season. SMU, which secured the final spot ahead of the Crimson Tide, was overwhelmed by 6th-seeded Penn State in their CFP first-round matchup. The Mustangs, who looked stunned early, fell behind 28-0 at halftime, with two pick-6s by Kevin Jennings contributing to their woes. Penn State ultimately cruised to a 38-10 victory.
SMU, with an 11-2 record and an undefeated 8-0 mark in ACC play, was considered by some to be deserving of a CFP berth. Warde Manuel, chair of the CFP committee, mentioned on Dec. 8 that the decision between SMU and Alabama for the No. 11 seed came down to overall wins over strength of schedule, as the Mustangs didn’t face teams like Miami, Syracuse, and Georgia Tech. This sparked discussions, especially among Alabama fans, who pointed out how outmatched SMU appeared against Penn State.
Crimson Tide supporters also speculated whether DeBoer’s 9-3 team would have posed a more competitive challenge to the Nittany Lions in the CFP. Social media was buzzing with reactions to the blowout, with many questioning SMU’s place in the playoff and wondering if Alabama might have fared better.
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