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Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sport
Daniel Chavkin

Alabama’s Dominant Sugar Bowl Win Launches Playoff Debate

Alabama ended the regular season ranked No. 5 in the country, the first team out of the College Football Playoff pool. Instead, the Crimson Tide played in the Sugar Bowl on Saturday afternoon, and they showed everyone their capabilities.

Facing off against Kansas State, the champions of the Big 12, Alabama put on a dominant performance, outscoring the Wildcats, 38-10, in the final 45 minutes to win the game, 45-20. The victory reignited the debate over whether Alabama should be in the CFP, especially since Kansas State beat No. 3 TCU in the Big 12 Championship game.

First, there are those who believe Alabama should be playing later tonight, either over TCU or No. 4 Ohio State.

However, others think that Alabama’s two losses to Tennessee and LSU were enough to keep them out of the Playoff, regardless of how well they played on Saturday.

No two-loss team has ever made the College Football Playoff, and the committee stuck with that standard this year. However, it is hard not to acknowledge that the Crimson Tide looked like a Playoff team in the bowl appearance.

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