Is Alabama out of the College Football Playoff? Looking at Kalen DeBoer's squad's chances to contend for national championship

Ahead of the No. 7-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide's Week 13 matchup against the Oklahoma Sooners, they had control of their destiny. The path to the SEC championship game was clear.

If they won their final two games, they would qualify to play in the big matchup. However, after coach Kalen DeBoer's Crimson Tide (8-3) lost 24-3 to the Sooners (6-5), they no longer control their fate.

Is Alabama out of the College Football Playoff?

No, Alabama is not out of the playoffs yet, but it does not have control over its fate. The team has no chance of playing in the SEC championship game, and as a result, it does not have control over whether it makes the playoffs.

The only teams guaranteed to make the playoffs are the five highest-ranked conference champions.

Since the Crimson Tide cannot win the championship, they do not have a guaranteed spot. However, they still have a chance to make the playoffs via one of the at-large berths.

In the new 12-team playoff format, the final seven spots go to the next seven highest-ranked teams, regardless of conference placement. So, if the Crimson Tide are in that group, they will qualify.

Can Alabama still make the playoffs?

Yes, it is still possible for the Crimson Tide to qualify for the playoffs, but it is not clear how likely that is. Once the Week 13 AP Top 25 rankings are released, fans will have a better idea of which teams are in a position to earn at-large playoff berths.

The good news for Alabama is that many of the other contenders around the playoff line also lost in Week 13. Teams like No. 9-ranked Ole Miss, No. 5-ranked Indiana, No. 16-ranked Colorado, No. 14-ranked BYU, No. 18-ranked Army and No. 15-ranked Texas A&M all lost on Saturday.

So, it is up in the air which teams will be in a position to make the playoffs once the newest rankings come out.

One thing is certain, the Crimson Tide will not make the playoffs without a win over Auburn. A loss to Auburn would lower them too far in the rankings to qualify.

How have the Alabama Crimson Tide performed this season?

The Crimson Tide have had an up-and-down season that has culminated in one of its worst campaigns in years. With the loss to South Carolina, the Crimson Tide fell to their first three-loss season since 2010.

Although two of those losses were against top-10 ranked teams (Georgia and Tennessee), this season has been below their standard.