Alabama appeared to be the best team in the nation more often than not all season long based solely on the eye test.

That being said, the Crimson Tide didn’t have much of a résumé despite sprinting out to an 11-0 record. After losing to Auburn on Saturday in the Iron Bowl, they might be eliminated from consideration for the College Football Playoff.

Technically, ‘Bama has three wins over ranked teams in 2017. However, one was over then-No. 3 Florida State, which completely fell apart and is now 5-6. One was over then-No. 19 LSU, which is a non-factor in the West and currently 8-3. One was over then-No. 16 Mississippi State, which fell Thursday to Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl to finish the schedule 8-4.

Compare that to the Tigers, who just beat No. 1 in the CFP rankings at Jordan-Hare Stadium for the second time in three weeks.

At times this year, the Tide looked as dominant as ever under coach Nick Saban. They won their first two SEC games over Vanderbilt and the aforementioned Ole Miss by a combined score of 125-3. They fried Arkansas 41-9 and crushed Tennessee 45-7.

But the Seminoles need to beat ULM in seven days — that game had to be rescheduled due to Hurricane Irma — simply to reach bowl eligibility. LSU and Mississippi State are middle-of-the-road clubs in the division. Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Arkansas and Tennessee have 19 wins combined. Not one of those programs is going to a bowl game.

Non-conference beatdowns of Fresno State, Colorado State and Mercer won’t impress members of the selection committee, either.

Unquestionably, Alabama is one of the best four teams in America. Nevertheless, you have to earn your way into the Final Four. At this point, the Crimson Tide haven’t earned it and could be on the outside looking in when it’s all said and done.

There’s no shame in getting beaten by Auburn, of course. As previously stated, coach Gus Malzahn and Co. have taken out the top-ranked team in the country for the second time this month. They smoked then-No. 1 Georgia in Week 11 — the Tigers and Bulldogs will meet again next week in the league championship game — and are red hot.

This was no fluke, either. The Tigers outplayed 'Bama in every phase offensively, defensively and on special teams.

If Auburn can get past Georgia a second time, it captures the SEC and will surely be the first two-loss team to get into the playoff.

This was no fluke, either. The Tigers outplayed ‘Bama in every phase offensively, defensively and on special teams. Jarrett Stidham was a 75-percent passer. Kerryon Johnson ran for 104 yards. Three of Aidan Marshall’s four punts were downed inside the 20.

As for the Tide, Jalen Hurts didn’t get much help. He threw for 177 yards and ran for an additional 80, but his three-headed monster at tailback — Damien Harris, Bo Scarbrough and Joshua Jacobs — was given just 18 carries because the offense was only on the field for 61 plays. Calvin Ridley, who had 3 receptions for 38 yards, was largely invisible.

Auburn, on the other hand, snapped the ball 78 times offensively and held it for 36:02, as opposed to 23:58 for Alabama.

Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Remember, because the Crimson Tide aren’t going anywhere near Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta next weekend, this is the last time that the committee will see them before making their selections. It wasn’t much of a last impression.

Granted, we’re talking about college football here. There are a lot of games left to be played, and we’ve become accustomed to chaos reigning supreme — that’s why we love it so much — down the home stretch. Two-loss Ohio State could beat undefeated Wisconsin in the Big Ten. Two-loss TCU could beat one-loss Oklahoma in the Big 12.

This is where 'Bama is nowadays. Every loss is unexpected and catastrophic. As a result, the Tide are already thinking about 2018.

The ACC title game features a pair of one-loss teams in Clemson and Miami, although the Hurricanes just laid an egg Friday at Pittsburgh.

Should championship week be relatively chalky, then ‘Bama is in big trouble. If the Badgers win the Big Ten at 13-0, they’re going. If the Sooners win the Big 12 at 12-1, they’re going. The winner of Auburn-Georgia is going, too.

That’s three of the four spots right there. If Clemson eliminates Miami, go ahead and make it four. And even if we see an upset or two, it’s not like the Tide are a shoe-in for that fourth and final choice. A two-loss Ohio State that wins the Big Ten has a strong case — as does a two-loss TCU that wins the Big 12. How about a two-loss USC that wins the Pac-12?

Is Alabama better on paper than all those teams? Probably. Still, postseason berths tend to be a reward for outstanding regular seasons.

In retrospect, even if the Crimson Tide were a force to reckoned with Saturday after Saturday, the majority of their opponents simply weren’t. Based on what we know right now, they don’t have a single victory over a team of consequence.

It seems that injuries finally caught up to ‘Bama. Auburn’s front seven took advantage of an offensive line that was operating at less than 100 percent — all-conference guard Ross Pierschbacher was in and out of the lineup — plus the linebacking corps was thin. The Tigers’ 168 yards rushing was the second most allowed by the Tide in 2017.

All Alabama can do is watch from home and hope for as much wackiness as possible. Otherwise, it’s a New Year’s Six bowl game.

For most programs, getting a chance to play on New Year’s Day is a privilege. But in Tuscaloosa, ending up in, say, a meaningless Peach Bowl isn’t what fans had in mind. Not after being atop both the AP and Coaches Polls since the preseason.

Is there something wrong with Saban’s squad, per se? Not necessarily. The Crimson Tide got derailed by a motivated rival, that’s all. They allowed a 95-yard scoring drive. They blew a field goal on a poor hold. They botched back-to-back snaps on a critical possession — why was Scarbrough clapping anyway? — in the fourth quarter.

This is where ‘Bama is nowadays. Every loss is unexpected and catastrophic. As a result, the Tide are already thinking about 2018.