Alabama football passed each of its tests through the first five weeks of the season, establishing itself as one of the top teams in college football with Keelon Russell leading the offense.
The Crimson Tide could not pass their toughest test yet in Week 6 — though they nearly did.
No. 7 Alabama fell 20-17 to No. 2 Georgia on Saturday, Oct. 10, at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, as the Crimson Tide were unable to win the fourth-quarter battle against the Bulldogs.
Alabama's defense did little to sway Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton, who completed 18 of 22 passes for 249 yards and one touchdown to one interception. Conversely, the Georgia defense did its part against Keelon
Russell, who completed 16 of 20 passes for 185 yards and touchdown.
Crimson Tide fans may be displeased not only with the win, but also how it occurred. Officials overturned or waved off several calls in favor of Georgia, including a turned over interception by QB Reese deep in Georgia territory; no targeting call on Alabama receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams; and no pass interference call on Rico Scott.
The loss for Alabama means a new spot in the top 25 polls for the Crimson Tide on Sunday. But where will the Crimson Tide be ranked in the US LBM Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25 poll on Sunday when they're released? Here's a look at where Kalen DeBoer's squad might find itself:
Where will Alabama fall in college football rankings after Georgia loss?
Alabama's loss is unlikely to result in a significant drop in the polls, as Georgia is expected to claim the No. 1 spot when the US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 are released Sunday following Texas' loss to Oklahoma.
An educated guess would place Alabama somewhere in the No. 8-10 range after the loss. The defeat to Georgia will also be viewed as a "good" loss for the remainder of the season for the Crimson Tide, assuming Alabama doesn't sustain an unexpected "bad" loss, and its College Football Playoff resume.
Below is a look at how the rest of the top 10 fared in Week 6 of the season:
- No. 1 Texas: Lost to Oklahoma
- No. 2 Georgia: vs. No. 7 Alabama
- No. 3 Notre Dame: Beat Stanford
- No. 4 Miami: BYE
- No. 5 Indiana: Beat Nebraska
- No. 6 Ohio State: Beat Maryland
- No. 7 Alabama: Lost to Georgia, 20-17
- No. 8 BYU: Beat Iowa State
- No. 9 Texas Tech: BYE
- No. 10 LSU: lost to No. 25 Kentucky, 35-34 (OT)
Final projection: No. 8
Be sure to check out USA TODAY Sports' new College Football Unfiltered podcast, hosted by USA TODAY Sports columnist Blake Toppmeyer. You can stream on YouTube or download via Apple podcasts and Spotify.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alabama football rankings: Where will Crimson Tide fall after Georgia loss?
