College Football Playoff complications for Alabama, Texas, and Clemson following Week 1 setbacks
Alabama and Texas, two of the highly-anticipated teams in the college football scene, have found themselves in a challenging position following their respective Week 1 losses. Both teams are set to face Louisiana-Monroe, Wisconsin, and Georgia (for Alabama on the road) before diving into SEC play.
In the preseason rankings, both Alabama and Texas were placed in the top 10, with Texas even holding the No. 1 spot in many rankings. However, ESPN analyst Heather Dinich has raised a "problem" for Alabama, Texas, and Clemson regarding their College Football Playoff future.
The College Football Playoff selection committee has not made any public commitments or guarantees that would directly influence or assure the hopes of Texas and Alabama to participate in this year's College Football Playoff. Instead, the committee will evaluate teams based on schedule strength and what happens on the field.
Alabama suffered a 34-17 loss to unranked Florida State, a setback that raised concerns about their physicality up front. Texas, on the other hand, struggled in the red zone and was unable to get its downfield passing game going under Arch Manning. The Longhorns' 14-7 loss to Ohio State did not offer a promising feel for the 2023 season.
The bigger concern for both teams is how they struggled in their Week 1 losses. Texas' inability to capitalise on opportunities in the red zone and Alabama's physical disadvantage up front have raised questions about their readiness for the upcoming season.
Meanwhile, LSU's defense dominated Clemson's veteran passing game led by Cade Klubnik, causing concern for the Tigers. Similarly, Cade Klubnik did not play well in Clemson's 17-10 loss to LSU.
Texas' next three games are against San Jose State, UTEP, and Sam Houston State, all at home. Alabama, on the other hand, has Wisconsin and Georgia before entering SEC play. The results of these games could potentially impact the seeding and even an at-large bid for both Alabama and Texas.
As the college football season unfolds, both Alabama and Texas will look to bounce back from their Week 1 losses and prove their worth to the College Football Playoff selection committee. The committee will undoubtedly be watching closely, considering both schedule strength and on-field performance.
