The Alabama Crimson Tide have managed to get through the toughest part of their schedule and find themselves firmly entrenched in the top 10 of the College Football Playoff rankings.
But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for improvement, as a couple of teams in front of the Tide have games with much higher stakes than Alabama vs. Mercer on Saturday.
And while last week Tide fans received what they wished for when Ole Miss took down the Georgia Bulldogs, this week they find themselves rooting for the mean machine in Red and Black:
#3 Texas at Arkansas
Razorbacks need to hunt the Longhorns
Look, this may seem like a very one-sided affair on paper, but the Razorbacks already took down one of the top teams in the nation when they put an L in the Tennessee Vols W-L column earlier this season.
A second loss, and this time against an unranked opponent would undoubtedly drop the Texas Longhorns down the rankings, and maybe even out of the top 10, catapulting the Tide.
#6 BYU vs. Kansas
Jayhawks to claw the Cougars
BYU is not just a feel good story. They are a serious football team who will likely make the College Football Playoff.
Winning out as a Big 12 champion could have the Cougars preparing for a first round bye, but all it takes is one slip and the Tide can easily pass the Cougars in the rankings and find an easier path in the playoff.
No. 7 Tennessee at No. 12 Georgia
The Dawgs take down the Vols
The marquee matchup of the weekend, all eyes will be between the hedges as the Bulldogs look to save their season. In doing so, they can bounce the Vols out of the top 10 and maybe even out of the top 12 when considering their early season loss to the Razorbacks.
So while it may be hard for Tide fans to even imagine themselves rooting for the Dawgs, a win for Georgia helps not only boost the Tide’s ranking but their resume when considering Alabama’s win over Georgia in a matchup that feels like forever ago.