Paul Finebaum: Alabama is one of the 2-3 teams to beat for national championship

Alabama won the game of the year so far to become the No. 1 team in the nation. That’s where they should now remain too based on what they’ve shown to Paul Finebaum.

Finebaum applauded the Crimson Tide during ‘The Matt Barrie Show’ on Sunday. How well they’ve played through four games has stunned him as he never expected them to already be this great this early on under their new head coach.

“I am surprised how well Alabama has played,” said Finebaum. “That’s kind of going to the very top of the Christmas tree but, if you had given me the stats for Alabama, including the Georgia game? I would have said you’re out of your mind.”

“I cannot believe how good they are,” Finebaum said.

Much of that credit from Finebaum goes to that work by Kalen DeBoer. Considering how well the predecessor is doing, he didn’t think that the successor could be doing a better one. Yet he is so far.

“The biggest surprise, I think personally, is the fact that Kalen DeBoer is actually doing better at his job right now than Nick Saban is at GameDay,” said Finebaum. “That is the biggest upset because nobody has done better than Saban on TV except Kalen DeBoer coaching where Saban used to roam.”

‘Bama did what they should have through their first three games. However, coming out of the bye, their night to prove themselves came to open conference play. It also was happening against an all-too familiar opponent.

Did they ever prove themselves too with the 41-34 victory in a classic of a game. Jalen Milroe played a career-best game while their defense forced four turnovers from the Bulldogs. The fourth quarter did get too close with it almost getting away from Tide. In the end, though, that all came together to give them the moment that we’d all wondered if we’d see in this new tenure in Tuscaloosa.

With that, Finebaum says the Crimson Tide are right back on top after Saturday night.

“Alabama didn’t just beat Georgia. Alabama is, for the first time in my mind this season, a legitimate national championship contender and more than a contender,” Finebaum stated. “I mean they look like one of the two or three teams to beat.”

Alabama aced their first test of this semester and in their new era under Kalen DeBoer. They’ll now have several more exams coming up, both in the regular and postseason, to continue their assessment as still being among the best in college football.