Why Alabama Deserved To Be in the College Football Playoffs

So much for the computers, the experts, and their predictions.  When it came down to choosing team number four, it was Alabama and not Ohio State that will play #1 Clemson in the Sugar Bowl.    Oklahoma will play #3 Georgia in the Rose Bowl in the other semifinal game to determine who will rule college football.  Saturday's games lived up to their pregame hype.  UCF surviving a deep Memphis squad shows that Group of Five schools can deliver on a big stage.

Sadly for Buckeye fans, their team did not perform when they needed to dominate a plucky but undermanned Wisconsin team.  So how did Ohio State that was a conference champion, beat several teams in the polls, not 'jump' Alabama to get into the playoffs?

The ill-informed can cite SEC bias, OSU's loss to Iowa, or some other excuse.  The reason why Alabama is in an Ohio State is out, is that we've seen this game before.  Last year, Clemson demolished the Bucks and sent Urban Myer packing back to Columbus.  College Football is about ratings and the public has no desire to see this game again.

Plus Ohio State, with its close win over the Badgers, didn't give anyone the confidence that another match up with Clemson would be closer.  So bring in the Tide.  It's Dabo vs. Nick, the trilogy, the rubber match.  We could go on and on.

Alabama will be at full strength and have revenge on their minds following last year's close loss to Clemson for the National Title.  Most fans, experts, and coaches give the Tide a chance to win.  In fact, Vegas has Alabama as a -1 favorite to beat the Tigers.

Vegas has picked Coach Saban's team as the overall favorite to win the National Title, according to the Sporting News.  Critics will say that the SEC is overrated.  Can anyone argue that its the first conference to have two teams in the playoffs?

Or as ESPN's Paul Finebaum tweeted, 'it looks like another down year for the SEC.'