Paul Finebaum, Heather Dinich agree Alabama is closer to missing the College Football Playoff than winning it
Alabama has made more appearances and won more national titles than anyone during the decade of the four-team College Football Playoff. However, in a new era for them and the Playoff, there are some that don’t know where they’ll fit in moving forward.
ESPN’s Heather Dinich and Paul Finebaum assessed whether the Crimson Tide is closer to winning the national championship or missing the Playoff bracket altogether on Friday morning’s ‘Get Up.’ Dinch began with her take that Alabamais more likely to not be in the Playoff than be the last team standing because of what could happen in their first year under new head coach in Kalen DeBoer.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this but missing the playoff,” said Dinich. “How about this sneaky Hembo stat for you – every coach since Bear Bryant has lost four games, at least four games, in his first year at the helm. There are a lot of trap games on the schedule for Alabama.”
Finebaum went on to concur with her because of how the schedule looks for Alabama. He thinks some fans could face some new reality quickly this fall in Tuscaloosa.
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“Yeah, I do agree,” Finebaum sad. “I know the Alabama fans don’t think anything is ever going to go wrong. They were spoiled by Bryant and then later Saban. Things can go wrong, especially with road games at Oklahoma, at LSU, at Tennessee. Even the game at Wisconsin early on plus a home game against Georgia. It’s a brutal schedule.”
Again, Alabama was the mainstay of the previous format with eight berths in 10 four-team fields. That’s two more appearances that led to four more games in total than any other team over the span. That included six chances in the title game with three championships under Nick Saban.
Still, this is a whole new Playoff and Saban is no longer at the helmn with DeBoer now in charge.
The Crimson Tide, and its fans, expect championships every season, so just a presence in the Playoff is often not good enough. However, with what could take place this season, Dinich and Finebaum think there’s a real chance that they end up with neither in DeBoer’s debut campaign.
“They’ve got a talented team but this isn’t a national title winner,” Dinich said. “This is a Playoff team – not a national title contender.”