"Alabama is still the biggest school in college football": Paul Finebaum of the SEC Network explores Crimson Tide's place at the top of CFB
Paul Finebaum is putting the Alabama Crimson Tide at the top of the nation heading into the 2023 season.
On WJOX's "McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning", Finebaum discussed why he believes the Crimson Tide should be ahead of the pack:
"I think if you're really a smart, analytical person and you don't let emotions get in the way, you've come to the conclusion that Alabama will be playing for the SEC championship and maybe more, and there's a couple of reasons for it."
Finebaum hailed coach Nick Saban as the biggest reason why they have been a powerhouse throughout the years, even without top talent.
"He could not have been any more down than he was last year, and he still was grabbing toward we didn't know until noon on the first Sunday in December whether he'd get in or not. ... But you weren't sure because that's who Nick Saban is and that's what the Alabama program means," Finebaum said. "
And when I say Nick Saban is still the biggest name in the industry. Guess what? Alabama is still the biggest school in college football." h/t 1819 News
Can the Alabama Crimson Tide overtake the Georgia Bulldogs?
It is difficult to agree with Paul Finebaum's comments until the Crimson Tide can take back the top of the Southeastern Conference. The Bulldogs have lost three games since the beginning of the 2020 season, with two of them coming at the hands of Crimson Tide.
However, with the Bulldogs having won two consecutive national championships, it is hard to say this answer is an outright yes. The biggest factor is that the core of the Georgia Bulldogs has moved onto the NFL or graduated. They have proven to be neck-and-neck with the Bulldogs in the last few seasons, and this might be the window to strike for the Crimson Tide.
Establishing a dominant offensive depth chart is going to be critical. They have a quarterback competition in 2023 in Tuscaloosa, with 2024-commit quarterback Julian Sayin expected to lead them to prominence. Saban has been focused on the offense, and has his team as a top offense in the nation. Expect the Tide to roll into the College Football Playoff and be a threat to win the 2023 national championship.