Earlier this year, Alabama coach Nick Saban referred to the praise his then-undefeated Crimson Tide team was receiving from the outside world as "rat poison." Now, he's openly campaigning for more of it to be delivered direct to Tuscaloosa.

No. 1 Alabama fell to No. 6 Auburn 26-14 on Saturday afternoon at Jordan-Hare Stadium, dropping the Tide to 11-1 (7-1 SEC). The loss prevents Alabama winning the SEC West crown and dims its once-bright College Football Playoff hopes. 

With no chance at an SEC title next week and a murky playoff picture in front of him, Saban lobbied for his team in his post-game press conference.

"I think this team deserves the opportunity to get into the playoff by what they have been able to accomplish and what they have been able to do," he said. "Certainly not in this game, but I think the team we played tonight is a very good football team, probably one of the best teams in the country.

"We have won 11 games and not many teams have been able to do that. I really don't know what all the scenarios might be where we would have an opportunity to do it. I certainly would like to see this team get the opportunity to do it. I think they deserve it."

There are several scenarios that could break in favor of the Crimson Tide with the two most likely being two-loss Ohio State topping Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game and two-loss TCU upsetting Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game. 

The problem Alabama is facing with both of those two scenarios is that, if either or both of those two-loss teams win next weekend, that win in and of itself would be a signature win. Alabama doesn't have one. Its best win is over either No. 18 LSU or No. 14 Mississippi State -- which lost to Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl on Thursday night and will certainly take a tumble in this week's rankings.

Sure, Alabama intended to have a great schedule this year. It beat then No. 3 Florida State in the season-opener -- a game in which Seminoles starting quarterback Deondre Francois played the majority of the game prior to his season-ending injury. But that Seminole offensive line has been a mess for three years, and its defense has been spotty all year. 

How will the CFP Selection Committee view the Crimson Tide on Tuesday night when the rankings come out? That is the biggest question going into championship weekend.