With the College Football Playoff just weeks away from being set, Stephen A. Smith gave some of his thoughts on who should be the No. 4 seed.
Inviting Paul Finebaum onto Tuesday’s episode of “First Take,” Stephen A. laid out his argument that if TCU and USC lose championship weekend, Nick Saban and Alabama should sneak into the four-spot over Ohio State. Pointing to the Buckeyes’ ugly loss to Michigan:
When I think about Ohio State, let me say this about the Ohio State Buckeyes… I understand it was one loss. I get all of that. … Ohio State didn’t lose this past weekend. They got their ass kicked. You don’t get to go in the playoff when you get beat down like that. That’s not how this works.
Finebaum pushed back, however, saying that Alabama’s two losses playing a weak schedule are enough of a reason to keep them out.
I spent most of my life in Alabama, and I’m as big an admirer of the program as you are, but I don’t think they belong in the playoffs. I’m not crazy about Ohio State, but … they played the best team other than them in the Big Ten. Alabama didn’t play Georgia. Had they played Georgia, they would have lost. I don’t think there is really any debate about it. … You can’t find a good win on Alabama’s schedule. … Texas? They lost four games. … Ole Miss? They lost four games. They have great losses. They don’t’ have great wins.
Should be exciting to see how it all shakes out.