Alabama football took care of business against Mercer to stay alive for the College Football Playoff. The CFP picture hasn’t yet become clear, though. Far from it.

The Crimson Tide is predicted anywhere from winning the SEC to barely making the playoff.

One thing is clear: Alabama needs to keep winning to stay in the race. That means beating Oklahoma on Saturday and Auburn in the Iron Bowl.

Win the next two games, and the Crimson Tide also looks primed to make the SEC Championship Game because of tie breakers. Win that game, and Alabama locks up an automatic bid in the playoff and a first round bye. Lose that game, and it’s unclear what might happen to the Crimson Tide.

With two weeks to go in the regular season, here are the latest CFP predictions and bowl projections for Alabama.

CFP predictions for Alabama football

CBS: Bye and Sugar Bowl

Jerry Palm’s latest bowl projections put Alabama football in the SEC Championship Game and winning it to earn the SEC’s automatic bid for the playoff. Palm has Alabama landing the No. 3 seed and awaiting its opponent in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1 in the quarterfinals.

ESPN: No. 9 seed, face No. 8 seed Notre Dame

Kyle Bonagura predicts Alabama will earn the No. 9 seed and face No. 8 seed Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana in the first round of the playoff. He thinks Alabama will win, then face No. 1 seed Oregon in the Rose Bowl. He has the Ducks winning that matchup.

ESPN: No. 8 seed, face No. 9 seed Ole Miss

Mark Schlabach’s projection has Alabama playing host to a home playoff game at Bryant-Denny Stadium as the No. 8 seed. The Crimson Tide would face No. 9 seed Ole Miss in the first-round playoff game. Like Bonagura, Schlabach predicts Alabama will win the game and lose to Oregon in the quarterfinals.

The Athletic: No. 11 seed, face No. 6 seed Penn State

Austin Mock predicts Alabama will barely make the playoff then head to State College to face the Nittany Lions in a first-round playoff game. The winner would face No. 3 seed Miami in the quarterfinals.

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.