Paul Finebaum explains why Alabama's Iron Bowl win left him with a 'hollow' feeling

This year’s Iron Bowl just didn’t have the same spark it normally does. Auburn especially was experiencing a down year and even fired their coach in the middle of the season, shifting the interim duties to beloved former Tiger Cadillac Williams, who led a spirited effort in the second half of the season and had the team competing for bowl eligibility vs. the Tide. Meanwhile, Alabama seemed to be completely locked out of the College Football Playoff when the game kicked off, which just left very little to be played for compared to previous seasons where one or both programs were competing for SEC titles or College Football Playoff spots.

SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum commented on the lack of enthusiasm following this year’s edition of the Iron Bowl when speaking with ESPN’s Matt Barrie on Monday. He said he’s been around the rivalry a long time, and something was just off this year.

“I’ve only been to about 40 of these, okay. So it’s not like I have a good track record of being around Iron Bowls. But, I mean, the last two have just had no atmosphere whatsoever. Last year maybe a little bit more in Auburn — and nobody knew it would be a four overtime game — but this year it just had nothing going for it. Absolutely nothing.”

Paul Finebaum understands the lack of excitement around the game this year, though. With Alabama not competing for a title, it was hard for their fans to care quite as much as usual.

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“And for good reason. And what I took away after this game wasn’t that Alabama beat the spread, depending on where you got the line. It was about opportunity loss. And yeah, we’ll get to it in a second. Alabama has the slimmest margin to get back in and only Alabama could figure out a way to do that.

“But I just got this hollow feeling as Bryce Young and Will Anderson walked off the field that this team should have been going to Atlanta. This team should have been competing in the playoffs. And as a result, they’re like beggars hanging outside waiting for a food crumb to see if if Southern Cal loses, and then they beat the statistical battle of insanity against Ohio State.”

Alabama not in normal circumstances needing a miracle to get into the field — and, in all likelihood, having their goose cooked in terms of a realistic chance to make the CFP. But credit the Tide. Nick Saban still had his players hyped up for the game, even if fans were not as much. ‘Bama rolled, 49-27.