TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — This, in a nutshell, is Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe and Crimson Tide football in 2024: fully capable of big plays and dominant stretches with just enough mistakes to keep things interesting — or frustrating, depending on one’s perspective.
Flawed, but perfect on Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium nonetheless as the regular season comes to a close.
Milroe passed for 256 yards and ran for 104 and three touchdowns to lead Alabama to a 28-14 victory over Auburn on Saturday, with the Iron Bowl rivalry triumph keeping the Crimson Tide’s hopes alive of reaching the 12-team College Football Playoff.
It was the final chance for Alabama (9-3, 5-3 Southeastern Conference), which was No. 13 in the most recent rankings from the CFP selection committee, to make a statement in Kalen DeBoer’s up-and-down debut season as the successor to Nick Saban as head coach. Saban’s 17 seasons at the helm included six national championships, with Alabama regularly appearing in the four-team version of the playoff that lasted from its 2014 inception to last season.
This year’s Tide must wait to see how the chase shakes out, but they could be boosted by losses for other CFP hopefuls Saturday, including two teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference: No. 12 Clemson — which plays No. 9 SMU for the ACC championship next weekend — and No. 6 Miami, which has no more games to prove itself. New CFP rankings will be released Tuesday night, and the 12-team field will be unveiled on Sunday, Dec. 8, the day after all the league titles are decided.