Alabama Can Absolutely Still Make the College Football Playoff

The Alabama Crimson Tide were already sliding in the College Football Playoff picture before Tua Tagovailoa's season-ending injury on Saturday. With the potential top pick in the 2020 NFL Draft now out of the picture, most pundits have written off Bama's chances at making their sixth-straight CFP appearance.

But suggesting that they don't have a chance is simply too reactionary. Despite their seemingly hopeless situation, Alabama can absolutely still squeeze their way into the College Football Playoff if things go their way.

First and foremost, it's important to remember that their only loss on the season was a 46-41 game against the LSU Tigers, who just so happen to be the best team in the country. That one loss alone is far more understandable than Georgia's loss to South Carolina or even Oregon's Week 1 loss against Auburn.

Alabama will need to take down Auburn when the two SEC giants square off on Nov. 30 in order to prove their case over the Ducks, and they'll surely be hoping Georgia finishes the season on a low note as well.

It goes without saying that a lot of pressure now rests on the shoulders of backup quarterback Mac Jones, and he needs to step up and lead this team in Tagovailoa's stead.

Tua's performance this year has been nothing short of brilliant, and regardless of whether or not it's fair to expect this of him, Jones needs to do his best to replicate the Heisman candidate's production.

Things are certainly not ideal in Tuscaloosa at the moment, but to count this Alabama team out already is a mistake. There's simply too much talent in the program to ever doubt the Tide.