Sometimes it is just not your year. Even if you are the greatest dynasty in college football history.
The playoff will be played without Alabama for the first time after No. 16 Auburn won a wild Iron Bowl on Saturday.
So thats it. No debates about resumes, eye tests or how much the Crimson Tide would be favored on a neutral field against this team or that.
No. 5 Alabama has lost two regular-season games for the first time since 2010. Nick Sabans Tide has not only won five national championship since 2009, but three other times it entered the postseason with a chance to win it. Twice it lost to Clemson in the national championship game. Once Urban Meyers Ohio State team knocked Alabama out in the first round of the playoff.
The last time Alabama was relegated to just a bowl game was 2013, when the Kick-Six sent Alabama to the Sugar Bowl where it lost to Oklahoma.
Of course, another failed field goal in the Iron Bowl played a part in the Tides demise this time.
This season will be seen as something of a failure or at least a disappointment in Tuscaloosa. But think about everything it took to take down the Tide.
The defense was faulty most of the season after a string on injuries left Alabama leaning on freshman linebackers. The Tide lost by five to No. 1 LSU, with a gimpy Tua Tagovailoa making a couple of uncharacteristic mistakes. Then Alabama lost Tagovailoa for good to a hip injury.
The Tides playoff hopes were shaky at best going into the Iron Bowl, with backup quarterback Mac Jones leading the way. Jones had his moments, good and bad. He threw two picks returned for touchdowns, including one that bounced off a receivers back when the Tide was on the door step. Alabama doinked a 30-yard field goal that would have tied it, and committed 13 penalties, including a game-ender. And Auburn benefited from a video review stoppage that let the Tigers get off a field goal with a second left in the first half.
All that happened to Alabama, and it lost by three to a top-15 team.
I know our fans are disappointed, but I can promise you that our players are disappointed, and were all very, very disappointed, Saban said. Its my responsibility to get our team to do these things better, and that certainly will be the goal in the future.
The dynasty is most certainly not dead, but Alabama is out of it in November and in this era of college football that is a very big deal.
HERE WE ARE AGAIN
Over the last 19 years, Ohio State is 17-2 against Michigan. That includes the coaching tenures of Jim Tressel, Urban Meyer and now Ryan Day, who moved to 1-0 by dropping 56 on the 10th-ranked Wolverines.
