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College Football Playoff Rankings 2017: Projected top four after Week 11

By Brad Weiss

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - NOVEMBER 11: The Miami Hurricanes take the field during a game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Hard Rock Stadium on November 11, 2017 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
MIAMI GARDENS, FL - NOVEMBER 11: The Miami Hurricanes take the field during a game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Hard Rock Stadium on November 11, 2017 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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STARKVILLE, MS – NOVEMBER 11: Jalen Hurts #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide scrambles for a first down during the first half of an NCAA football game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium on November 11, 2017 in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images)
STARKVILLE, MS – NOVEMBER 11: Jalen Hurts #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide scrambles for a first down during the first half of an NCAA football game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium on November 11, 2017 in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images) /
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Alabama Crimson Tide (10-0)

Last week: W 31-24 at No. 16 Mississippi State
Last rank: 2

After No. 1 Georgia went down on Saturday, and Notre Dame was falling to the Miami Hurricanes, it looked like all of the top-three teams in the country were going to lose in Week 11. However, the Alabama Crimson Tide were able to pull out a 31-24 victory on the road against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, and with the win, they jump to the top of our projected rankings. They looked very beatable on Saturday, which is not something you can usually say about a Nick Saban team this late in the year.

This game came so close to being a loss for Alabama, that the Tide actually were behind as the two teams headed to the fourth quarter. A Jace Christmann 25-yard field goal for Mississippi State put them ahead by a touchdown early in the fourth, and it looked like we were going to see another heavyweight fall. That was not to be the case, as Alabama scored two unanswered touchdowns, the last with under a half a minute left in regulation, and escaped with their tenth win in as many chances.

Damien Harris got the scoring started in the final frame for Alabama, and finished the game with nearly 100 yards on the ground. Jalen Hurts hit DeVonta Smith for a 26-yard touchdown to win the game for Alabama, who had gotten the ball back with only 1:09 left to play in regulation. Hurts showed the kind of poise you need to win big games, and it could prove to be the moment in the Alabama season where the team became the one to beat in 2017.

Next: Ohio State blows out Michigan State to take control of Big Ten East: 3 takeaways

The Crimson Tide have one more hurdle left on their schedule, as the SEC East Division will be put on the line in the Iron Bowl to finish out their regular season slate. For Alabama, they have to play better than they did on Saturday against Auburn if they want to win the conference, as the Tigers are a fired up squad right now. They have the talent to win it all, but they have to get to the playoff first.

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