Paul Finebaum Names Historic SEC Program That's Ranked 'a Little High'

SEC Nation analyst Paul Finebaum looks on prior to the game. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The Alabama Crimson Tide are one of the most discussed teams of the 2026 offseason. The Crimson Tide returned to the College Football Playoff last season in Year 2 under head coach Kalen DeBoer.

Kalen DeBoer Still Has a Lot to Prove

Alabama went 11-4, made the SEC Championship Game and the College Football Playoff. This followed a 9-4 season in 2024. The Crimson Tide struggled in those big games, leaving many to wonder whether DeBoer is the right man for the job.

They were blown out 28-7 to the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC title game. Alabama then overcame a 17-0 deficit to the Oklahoma Sooners in the first round of the College Football Playoff, before being beaten 38-3 by the Indiana Hoosiers in the second round.

Alabama enters the season ranked No. 13 in the preseason AP poll. That is good for seventh in the SEC, meaning the Crimson Tide would likely miss the College Football Playoff in 2024 if that holds. That's why DeBoer will have the task of exceeding those preseason expectations.

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer speaks to the press. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Paul Finebaum Gives His Take on Alabama's No. 13 Ranking

ESPN's Paul Finebaum reacted to the Crimson Tide's ranking on "The Paul Finebaum Show." He said that he didn't have a big issue with it, but he does think they are ranked a tad too high.

"I think Alabama is in the right vicinity, but maybe a little high," Finebaum said.

Finebaum's assessment reflects the uncertainty surrounding Alabama as it enters DeBoer's third season. The Crimson Tide have shown they can reach the postseason, but their performances in the biggest games last season left plenty of questions heading into 2026.

A No. 13 ranking still places Alabama among the nation's top teams, but it also leaves the Crimson Tide with little margin for error if they hope to return to the College Football Playoff and, this time, become a little more competitive.

Kalen DeBoer Faces Pressure to Exceed Expectations

The challenge for DeBoer is turning Alabama's regular-season success into postseason results. The Crimson Tide have reached the SEC Championship Game and a College Football Playoff under his watch, but they have yet to demonstrate that they can consistently compete with the nation's best teams when the stakes are highest.

With Alabama entering the season outside the SEC's top tier in the preseason AP Poll, DeBoer has an opportunity to prove the Crimson Tide belongs much higher by the end of the season.