Reacting to Alabama's No. 3 College Football Playoff Ranking

Watch the above video to hear Alabama Crimson Tide on SI beat writer Theo Fernandez's reaction to Alabama's No. 3 College Football Playoff committee ranking.

Alabama football jumped up from No. 5 to No. 3 after beating LSU in Death Valley. The Crimson Tide's new ranking suggests that the team could potentially lose in the SEC Championship Game and still hang on to a top-four seed and first-round bye.

Kalen DeBoer's squad would be the second-highest-ranked two-loss team in College Football Playoff history if the season ended today. The only one higher, 2024 Georgia, was ranked No. 2 due to the playoff's rule that the top four teams all had to be conference champions.

College Football Playoff Top 25

1. Georgia (8-1)

2. Utah (9-0)

3. Alabama (7-2)

4. UCLA (9-0)

5. Notre Dame (8-1)

6. Texas (7-2)

7. Miami (8-1)

8. Tennessee (7-2)

9. Indiana (8-1)

10. BYU (7-2)

11. Kentucky (7-2)

12. Texas Tech (8-1)

13. Wake Forest (8-1)

14. Houston (7-2)

15. Iowa (7-2)

16. Oregon (6-3)

17. South Carolina (6-3)

18. USC (7-2)

19. Ole Miss (6-3)

20. Ohio State (6-3)

21. LSU (6-3)

22. Missouri (6-3)

23. Arizona (7-2)

24. Boise State (8-1)

25. Oklahoma State (6-3)

CFP selection committee members

• Hunter Yurachek, Arkansas athletic director (committee chair)
• Troy Dannen, Nebraska athletic director
• Mark Dantonio, former Michigan State, Cincinnati coach
• Doug Gillin, Appalachian State athletic director
• Mark Harlan, Utah athletic director
• Ivan Maisel, former sports writer at SI, ESPN, other outlets
• Gus Malzahn, former Auburn, UCF, Arkansas State coach
• Chris Massaro, Middle Tennessee State athletic director
• Randall McDaniel, former Arizona State All-American offensive lineman
• Mike Riley, former Oregon State, Nebraska coach
• Jeff Tedford, former Cal, Fresno State coach
• Wesley Walls, former Mississippi All-American tight end
• Carla Williams, Virginia athletic director

Full 2026 College Football Playoff Schedule

First Round

• Friday, Dec. 18, 7:00 p.m. CT -- Campus site, ESPN
• Saturday, Dec. 19, 11:00 a.m. CT -- Campus site, ABC & ESPN
• Saturday, Dec. 19, 2:30 p.m. CT -- Campus site, TNT, truTV & HBO Max
• Saturday, Dec. 19, 6:30 p.m. CT -- Campus site, TNT, truTV & HBO Max

All four campus sites will be revealed on Selection Day, Sunday, Dec. 6.

Quarterfinals

• Wednesday, Dec. 30, 6:30 p.m. CT -- Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, Ariz.), TNT, truTV & HBO Max
• Friday, Jan. 1, 11:00 a.m. CT -- TBD*, TNT, truTV & HBO Max
• Friday, Jan. 1, 3:00 p.m. CT -- TBD*, ABC & ESPN
• Friday, Jan. 1, 7:00 p.m. CT -- TBD*, ESPN

*The Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential will be assigned to their windows on Selection Day, Sunday, Dec. 6.

Semifinals

• Thursday, Jan. 14, 6:30 p.m. CT -- Capital One Orange Bowl (Miami Gardens, Fla.), TNT, truTV & HBO Max
• Friday, Jan. 15, 6:30 p.m. CT -- Allstate Sugar Bowl (New Orleans, La.), ABC & ESPN

CFP National Championship

• Monday, Jan. 25, 6:30 p.m. CT -- Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas, Nev.), ABC & ESPN

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/alabama as Reacting to Alabama's No. 3 College Football Playoff Ranking.