Who you play matters. When it comes to the Alabama Crimson Tide, they will have one of the most navigable schedules in the SEC this year. On Monday's episode of The Paul Finebaum Show, the popular college football analyst for ESPN reacted to an article he saw by Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa News. Goodbread ranked each SEC team's schedule for this year. Alabama was No. 11.
Finebaum worked his way through several other SEC programs before finally touching on Alabama.
"How many times have you heard us talk about that on this show?" Finebaum said. "Alabama's schedule, incredibly manageable. (It is) why many believe Alabama is a playoff team. They have Georgia at home, A&M at home, at Tennessee, and at LSU."
Georgia, Texas A&M, Tennessee, and LSU remain the four biggest games of consequence in SEC play for Alabama. Getting their two hardest games at home vs. Georgia and Texas A&M is huge. While the Tennessee and LSU road dates can now be flexed into night games, Alabama seems well equipped to handle whatever comes their way. Should the Tide split those four games, they will be a playoff team.
For those who need a refresher, here is who Alabama has on tap to play this college football season.
Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
Sept. 5 | East Carolina Pirates | Tuscaloosa, AL | 11:00 a.m. CT |
Sept. 12 | at Kentucky Wildcats | Lexington, KY | 2:30 p.m. CT |
Sept. 19 | Florida State Seminoles | Tuscaloosa, AL | 2:30 p.m. CT |
Sept. 26 | South Carolina Gamecocks | Tuscaloosa, AL | 5:00-7:00 p.m. CT |
Oct. 3 | at Mississippi State Bulldogs | Starkville, MS | 11:00-12:00 p.m. CT |
Oct. 10 | Georgia Bulldogs | Tuscaloosa, AL | 5:00-7:00 p.m. CT |
Oct. 17 | at Tennessee Volunteers | Knoxville, TN | 5:00-7:00 p.m. CT |
Oct. 24 | Texas A&M Aggies | Tuscaloosa, AL | 2:30-7:00 p.m. CT |
Oct. 31 | BYE | ||
Nov. 7 | at LSU Tigers | Baton Rouge, LA | 2:30-7:00 p.m. CT |
Nov. 14 | at Vanderbilt Commodores | Nashville, TN | 11:00-12:00 p.m. CT |
Nov. 21 | Chattanooga Mocs | Tuscaloosa, AL | 1:00 p.m. CT |
Nov. 28 | Auburn Tigers | Tuscaloosa, AL | 2:30-7:00 p.m. CT |
Dec. 5 | SEC Championship | Atlanta, GA | 3:00 p.m. CT |
The fact Alabama does not draw playoff contenders like Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and Texas in SEC play is so massive. Again, the Crimson Tide are only playing two playoff teams from a season ago in Georgia and Texas A&M. Both of them will travel to Tuscaloosa to face the Tide. While Alabama is more than capable of losing a dumb one to anyone under Kalen DeBoer, their floor remains quite high for them.
Here is the first hour of Monday's episode of The Paul Finebaum Show where he talked schedules.
While Finebaum has been up and down on how he feels about Alabama, this team can win 10 games.
Alabama's schedule breaks nicely for the Crimson Tide to go on a run
With the way Alabama's schedule shakes out, the Crimson Tide are not expected to play a team that will be ranked until it hosts Georgia on Oct. 10 at Bryant-Denny. While four of their first five games are against Power Four competition, Alabama must take advantage of a light slate to pick up momentum. Once the middle part of the season arrives, that is when Alabama will have to play its best football.
It should come as no surprise that the four games Finebaum quickly rattled off when discussing Alabama's schedule come in succession. Home vs. Georgia, at Tennessee, and home vs. Texas A&M will complete the October slate, with a carefully played bye on Halloween ahead of the road date at LSU on Nov. 7. Again, if Alabama wins two of these four games, it will likely be in the playoff picture.
Of course, any more than two losses among those four games probably knocks the Crimson Tide out entirely. A 9-3 team will get in as an at-large participant at some point, but let's not count on it. More importantly, DeBoer cannot allow the Crimson Tide to stumble vs. the likes of Kentucky, Florida State, South Carolina, or anybody else on their schedule. Playing in the SEC is unforgiving. Remember that.
ALSO READ: 5 college football head coaches who have no business being picked before Kalen DeBoer
To tie a bow on this, Finebaum seems to recognize what all lies ahead for Alabama. This is a talented team and one that is well-coached. As long as their many players ascending into starting roles gain confidence during a fairly navigable part of the schedule, the stars are aligning for Alabama to get back into the playoffs. The Crimson Tide may not get to Atlanta, but they do feel like a top-10 seed.
Alabama haters are in shambles because deep down, they know how manageable this schedule is.
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