Alabama Left Out: Greg Byrne Sends Strong Message, Mentions Kalen DeBoer’s Rise

Alabama Athletic Director Greg Byrne stirred controversy with a tweet criticizing the College Football Playoff (CFP) Committee for excluding the Crimson Tide from the 12-team playoff field. His post, which briefly included a community note, expressed frustration over the decision.

While voicing his disappointment, Byrne also praised head coach Kalen DeBoer, who inherited a team capable of contending in a four-team CFP format. Despite this, the Tide suffered key losses to Vanderbilt and Oklahoma.

“We are disappointed with the outcome and believe we were one of the 12 best teams in the country,” Byrne stated. “Our schedule was extremely challenging, though there were two games where we underperformed.”

Byrne also raised concerns about the evaluation of strength of schedule by the CFP committee. “This result makes us reconsider how many P4 non-conference games we should schedule in the future to ensure better positioning for CFP participation. This trend isn’t good for college football as a whole.”

Despite the setback, Byrne encouraged the team to focus on finishing the season strong. “We have a fantastic group of young men who, alongside Coach DeBoer, have led us through this season. We’re excited for the opportunity to compete in the ReliaQuest Bowl.”

Meanwhile, Robert Griffin III supported the CFP committee’s decision, arguing it was fair. He emphasized that Alabama’s inclusion would have been politically motivated rather than merit-based.

“There should be no favoritism toward certain conferences or big brands due to money or network ties,” Griffin said. “This year, the CFP Selection Committee did the right thing by leaving Alabama out, even though including them might have been more profitable.”