Paul Finebaum evaluates Alabama's chances at competing for SEC, national titles

Around mid-September, Alabama couldn’t have looked much further from the College Football Playoff. However, Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide remain as inevitable as ever as they’re right back in the thick of things at the start of November.

Paul Finebaum addressed ‘Bama’s shot at winning titles, both in the SEC and come the playoff, during ‘The Matt Barrie Show’ on Sunday. Based on what he saw in their 42-28 win against LSU this weekend, he saw aspects on both sides of the ball that he thinks could make them a contender.

“You look at the second half? I mean they are suffocating teams in the second half. That’s how you win championships,” said Finebaum. “And the offense is, certainly, good enough. Jalen Milroe performed well.”

The past six weeks have changed everyone’s minds on what this version of Alabama could be. After an uncharacteristically slow start, they’ve since rattled off six straight in conference play and seven consecutive overall to take command of the SEC West and find themselves within the Top-10 of the playoff rankings.

Finebaum recognizes that the Crimson Tide still have three games to go before they make their likely appearance in Atlanta. Still, when Barrie surmised that Alabama is now the favorite to win the SEC Championship and the College Football Playoff, he couldn’t help but find some level of truth in that opinion.

“They’ve got tricky-type of games ahead but nothing that should get in their way,” said Finebaum. “Georgia is not a perfect team. I’m not ready to jump ahead four weeks but I can’t find a lot of fault in what you’re saying.”

Finebaum: Nick Saban has coached ‘finest’ season ‘in his entire career’

It took a seven-game win streak and a convincing win against LSU but Paul Finebaum is finally on board Alabama’s bandwagon after the Crimson Tide advanced to 8-1 on the season.

The SEC analyst credited Nick Saban for the success his team has had and the immense improvements his team has made since losing to Texas.

“Since that moment where Alabama was really humiliated down the stretcher against Texas? Nick Saban has coached his finest season — I think — in his entire career,” Finebaum said on SportsCenter on Sunday. “It has been absolutely virtuoso. It’s been brilliant. He has dialed up all the right moves, especially in the second half. His offense has, at times, struggled in the first half.

“But, Jalen Milroe — and by the way — we all remember he was benched for the third game of the year. Remember Tyler Buchner? That’s going to be a trivia question if Alabama wins the national championship, who started that second game? We all know it’s all about the defense. Nick Saban, we know he masterminds that, and kudos to him. It’s been absolutely amazing to watch.”