Why Alabama football is built to win in the CFP North, according to Kalen DeBoer

Alabama football is on track to make the College Football Playoff, but likely as one of the last teams in the field. That means the Crimson Tide will have to play a road game in the first round of the 12-team playoffs.

If the season ended today, Alabama would currently have to travel to South Bend, Indiana, to face Notre Dame, based on the latest CFP rankings the CFP Committee released Tuesday.

This may not be where Alabama plays. It could also make a trip to Columbus, Ohio, to face Ohio State or to State College, Pennsylvania, to face Penn State. Those aren’t the only possibilities, but at this point it seems entirely possible that the Crimson Tide will have to play a game up north in late December.

That means potential for cold weather and snow.

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer doesn’t seem too concerned, however. A South Dakota native, he believes his team can compete and be successful in a game up north in December.

“I think I’ve seen that in moments like that and in playoff games, you play your best,” DeBoer said on the College GameDay podcast this week. “You worked so hard for this. Again, I think the composition of our team is a physical football team. We have the opportunity to run the ball with different people when it’s one of those real weather games. When it’s cold alone, I’m surprised at how well teams have dealt with me in the past, operating and managing in these environments. That’s what I respect from our guys. We have some guys who are pretty determined and I think mentally tough and would do well in that kind of environment.”

The final CFP rankings will be announced on Sunday.