4 Alabama players who have already played their last game after missing CFP

An up-and-down season for Alabama got cut agonizingly short on Sunday, as the College Football Playoff selection committee opted to give SMU the final at-large spot in the 12-team field over the Crimson Tide. Instead of playing for another national championship, Kalen DeBoer's first season at the helm in Tuscaloosa will instead wrap up with a matchup against Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl on New Year's Eve.

That's hardly how the team imagined spending their holiday season, and a bowl game without meaningful stakes means that it's officially open season for the Tide's roster. DeBoer has projected public optimism about keeping at least most of his squad together through their final game, but this is college football in 2024 we're talking about: Between the transfer portal and NFL Draft considerations, the smart money says that some of the team's biggest names may already have played their final games for Alabama — highlighted by these four.

4. LB Deontae Lawson

The writing has been on the wall here for weeks, ever since Lawson was lost for the season after suffering a leg injury in the loss to Oklahoma. He definitely won't be playing against Michigan, and while he's yet to officially declare, he almost certainly won't be back in Tuscaloosa for another season: Lawson seemed ticketed for the first round based on his play in 2024, and he's already seen how an injury can put everything at risk in an instant.

Maybe he decides to come back and rebuild his draft stock with another strong year in 2025, but the most likely scenario is that he jumps to the draft rather than risk another injury. If he and Jihaad Campbell both depart, DeBoer will have his work cut out for him in the transfer portal.

3. OG Tyler Booker

The Tide could wind up having to replace the entire interior of its offensive line, including center Parker Brailsford and guard Jaeden Roberts. The biggest loss, however, would be Booker, who established himself as the consensus top guard in this class with a strong 2024 campaign. Again, Booker has yet to announce a decision about whether he'll play in the ReliaQuest Bowl, but he has everything to lose and essentially nothing to gain by suiting up one more time.

No matter whether Booker sticks around for bowl season, DeBoer is going to have to get busy replacing up to three major losses up front. Offensive line has traditionally been among the toughest (and most expensive) spots to fill in the portal — just ask Ohio State how it's gone for them this year — and having to replace 60 percent of his starting five will be a tough task.

2. S Malachi Moore

Moore is out of eligibility, so the only question is whether he'll play in the ReliaQuest Bowl or call it a career and move on to preparing for the NFL Draft. He's got an NFL future to consider, and it seems like he didn't take Bama's playoff snub particularly well.

If he no longer feels like the Tide has anything meaningful to play for, he could opt out and turn his attention toward the draft, especially considering that Alabama doesn't figure to need a ton of help on the back end against one of the most moribund passing attacks in the Power 4.

1. QB Jalen Milroe

Here's the big one. Milroe has shown a ton of toughness during his time as QB1 for the Crimson Tide, but it might be time to start thinking a bit more strategically. He's been a maddeningly inconsistent player over the last two years, capable of dizzying highs and mystifying lows; but in a quarterback class this wide-open, someone with his remarkable physical gifts and upside could very well play himself into a top-10 pick with a strong pre-draft cycle.

That is, of course, unless he gets injured. Granted, Milroe could also help his stock with another big performance against the Wolverines, but a player with his sort of dual-threat style is taking a risk every time he tucks the ball and runs. It's unclear what Milroe is planning to do, but the smart thing would be to give way to Ty Simpson and ride off into the sunset.