Alabama Players Declare Playoff Mode After Second Loss

After consecutive losses to Georgia and Tennessee, No. 13 Alabama faces a narrow path to the College Football Playoff and little room for further mistakes. Players say the team is treating its remaining schedule as a playoff, beginning with Saturday’s home game against Texas A&M; the Crimson Tide must also navigate November matchups including LSU, Vanderbilt and Auburn. Coach Kalen DeBoer and players point to last season’s recovery from an opening loss as evidence the team can respond, but Alabama will need to turn its renewed urgency into wins against a challenging stretch of opponents.