3 reasons why Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide won't make the College Football Playoff

Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide have struggled in the early portion of the season. While their record is still good at 3-1, the Crimson Tide have not looked like the dominant powerhouse they have been for much of the past decade and a half. Take a look at three reasons that could cause Alabama to fail to miss the postseason.

#1: The Alabama Crimson Tide's passing game has struggled

The Alabama Crimson Tide have shuffled through quarterbacks in the early part of this season. Despite this, none of the three options have shown much in terms of prodcutions. As a unit, the Crimson Tide rank just 101st out of 133 teams in the nation in passing offense.

While that could work in the SEC if they had a top-10 rushing attack, Alabama has been a middle of the pack unit on that end as well, ranking just 62nd. All in all, its 30.2 points per game ranks just 61st in the nation. Furthermore, 56 of its 119 points came in their season opener against the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders, who rank just 109th in scoring defense.

With its schedule, and the defenses it faces set to get tougher as SEC play is in full swing, Alabama's offense could hinder it. The Crimson Tide have averaged just 21.6 points over their past three games.

#2: The Alabama Crimson Tide have a tough schedule with no room for error

The Alabama Crimson Tide are 1-1 against ranked opponents this season. After a Week 2 loss to the Texas Longhorns, they bounced back against the Ole Miss Rebels in Week 4. While only two of their future opponents, the LSU Tigers and Tennessee Volunteers, are ranked at the moment, that could soon change.

Two of Alabama's unranked opponents were among the teams receiving votes in Week 4 and could be a win or two away from being ranked. Meanwhile, even if the Crimson Tide are able to run the table, the Georgia Bulldogs will likely be waiting for them in the SEC Championship Game.

Making matters even more difficult, there has never been a two-loss team to reach the College Football Playoff. Alabama will need to win out and then defeat the Bulldogs just to have a chance to reach the postseason.

#3: There are several programs who look better thus far

Even if the Alabama Crimson Tide could win out, it may not be enough. There are several programs who look very good at the moment. Eighteen of the top-25 teams in the nation, including the entire top 10, have not been defeated.

While that will not be the case for the entire season, particularly as several of those teams will face one another, it is not difficult to envision four of the teams remaining unbeaten.