Paul Finebaum Names College Football Powerhouse Who Is 'On the Edge of the Playoff'

On "The Paul Finebaum Show," SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum mentioned that Alabama was once considered a guaranteed playoff contender, but that is no longer the case.

"There was a time that Alabama was automatic," Finebaum said. "If they didn't win the national championship, it seemed like the end of the world. I had a guy in Alabama the other day ask me, 'Hey, how do you think we're going to do?' I said, 'Right on the edge of the playoff.'"

Alabama finished the last season with a record of 9-4, marking its worst performance since 2007, Saban's first year as head coach. The Crimson Tide began the season strong, starting 4-0 and earning the No. 1 ranking in the country after a thrilling 41-34 victory over the Georgia Bulldogs (11-3). But things took a turn in the following game against the Vanderbilt Commodores (7-6), where Alabama suffered a surprising 40-35 loss, its first defeat to Vanderbilt since 1984.

The Crimson Tide rebounded with a narrow 27-25 win against the South Carolina Gamecocks (9-4) but then faced another setback, losing 24-17 to the Tennessee Volunteers (10-3). Alabama regrouped and scored significant victories over the Missouri Tigers (10-3) and the LSU Tigers (9-4). At that point, it ranked No. 7 and appeared headed for a playoff berth.

However, the Crimson Tide's hopes were dashed when they faced a struggling Oklahoma Sooners (6-7) team, losing 24-3, which effectively ended any playoff aspirations. The season concluded with a disappointing bowl game defeat to the Michigan Wolverines (8-5) by a score of 19-13, resulting in three losses to teams with five or more losses.

Looking ahead, Alabama aims to rebound this season and holds the seventh-best odds to win the national championship, according to ESPN. It will kick off the new season on the road against the Florida State Seminoles at 3:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 30.