Alabama’s Playoff Hopes Could Get Major Boost During Bye Week

Alabama won’t take the field this weekend, but that doesn’t mean the Crimson Tide can’t improve its position in the College Football Playoff race.

After snapping a two-game losing streak with a 31-20 victory over Texas A&M, Kalen DeBoer and Alabama enter their bye week with a 6-2 record and some much-needed momentum.

The Crimson Tide still has plenty of work ahead, beginning with a difficult road trip to LSU on November 7. However, several SEC matchups this Saturday could improve Alabama’s postseason outlook without the Tide taking a snap.

Alabama Could Benefit From SEC Rivals Losing

Perhaps the most intriguing matchup for Alabama fans is the annual rivalry between No. 3 Georgia and No. 17 Florida.

Georgia already owns a head-to-head victory over Alabama, defeating the Crimson Tide 20-17 earlier this month. A second SEC loss for the Bulldogs would make the conference race even more interesting, especially with Georgia still facing Ole Miss in November.

Florida, meanwhile, enters the matchup with two conference losses of its own. A victory over Georgia would give the Gators another significant win after their upset of Texas, but it would also knock one of the SEC’s top playoff contenders down another notch.

Another game worth watching is Auburn’s trip to Ole Miss.

The Rebels are coming off a 34-27 loss to Texas and cannot afford many more setbacks. An Auburn victory would give Ole Miss its third conference loss while potentially opening another door for Alabama in the SEC standings.

Alabama Still Controls Its Own Future

Of course, favorable results elsewhere will only matter if Alabama takes care of business.

The Crimson Tide’s remaining schedule begins with LSU, a team that has found momentum heading into November. Alabama must also show that its victory over Texas A&M was more than a temporary response to disappointing losses against Georgia and Tennessee.

With two losses already on its résumé, Alabama has little room for another setback.

Still, Saturday presents an unusual opportunity.

While DeBoer and his staff focus on getting healthy and preparing for LSU, the Crimson Tide could emerge from its bye week in a more favorable position in the SEC race.

And for an Alabama team hoping to make another postseason run, that would be a welcome development.

This article was originally published on HEAVY

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