As Alabama heads into its final bye week of the 2024 season, the Crimson Tide stands at 6-2, with recent wins over teams like Missouri fueling their playoff ambitions.
Despite this progress, most college football analysts aren’t optimistic about Alabama’s chances of reaching the College Football Playoff. The Crimson Tide likely needs to win all remaining games to bolster its resume, with crucial matchups against teams like Georgia, LSU, and Oklahoma still ahead.
Victories in these games would enhance Alabama’s standing, especially as the Bulldogs, under Coach Kirby Smart, continue to project as title contenders.
Currently, projections indicate the Citrus Bowl as Alabama’s most probable destination, with experts from Action Network, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, and Athlon Sports predicting a showdown against Indiana in Orlando on New Year’s Eve.
This game would mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools, with Indiana’s coach Curt Cignetti, a former Alabama staff member under Nick Saban, leading the Hoosiers.
Other possibilities include the Gator Bowl or Las Vegas Bowl, with ESPN analysts Mark Schlabach and Kyle Bonagura suggesting that Alabama could face Clemson or Arizona State. Only CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm projects Alabama in the playoff bracket, envisioning them as a No. 10 seed against BYU, with a potential second-round match against No. 2 Ohio State.
ESPN’s playoff predictor remains cautiously optimistic, assigning a 53% chance of Alabama making the playoffs if they win out. With the Tide preparing to face LSU next, Alabama’s postseason fate remains uncertain, but their destiny may still be within reach.
