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Paul Finebaum reveals his expectations for Alabama in Sugar Bowl matchup with Kansas State

Screen Shot 2024-05-28 at 9.09.17 AMby:Kaiden Smith•12/27/22•

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Alabama and Kansas State will square off in the Allstate Sugar Bowl this Saturday in a matchup featuring two of the nation’s top 10 ranked teams. The Crimson Tide are far more accustomed to playing in bowl games that have College Football Playoff implications, which has some worried about their motivation in this game. One person who isn’t worried is college football analyst Paul Finebaum, who likes the Tide despite a disappointing season compared to their high standards.

“It just seems like this year Alabama’s ready to play, it seems like this year Alabama’s a little hungrier, a little more determined,” Finebaum said. “But I still will believe it when I see it because I don’t think you really know the mindset of these players.”

Finebaum has full confidence in Alabama head coach Nick Saban heading into the Sugar Bowl, but has some questions regarding the mentality of the players. The Crimson Tide do bring back some of their key players for this game that could’ve chosen to forgo the bowl to prepare for the NFL Draft like quarterback Bryce Young, EDGE Will Anderson, and running back Jahmyr Gibbs, all of which should have a big impact in the Sugar Bowl.

“You know what Nick Saban’s going to say, he’s always gonna frame it the right way. You would assume that Bryce Young and Will Anderson came back to win this game, not just to show, so based on that I like Alabama,” Finebaum said.

The Crimson Tide are currently 6.5-point favorites over the Wildcats, who are newly crowned Big 12 champions fresh off of a four-game winning streak. The mentality of the Crimson Tide in a rare non-playoff bowl game will be important, but so will them playing a complete game against a proven Kansas State team.

“But if we’re sitting here next Monday and going what happened, and then we simply just say well forget everything we said last Tuesday, it was a typical game that Alabama didn’t want to be in,” Finebaum said. “If you’re asking me and I’m telling you right now I think Alabama wins this game and I think Alabama plays well.”

Alabama and Kansas State will face off this Saturday in the Cesars Superdome in New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl at 12:00 p.m. ET airing on ESPN.