Paul Finebaum Delivers Strong Take on Alabama’s National Title Hopes With Kalen DeBoer

The Alabama Crimson Tide are under the microscope as DeBoer prepares for year three.

Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen Deboer looks on before the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Indiana Hoosiers at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 2026 college football season is closing in, with less than four weeks until the action kicks off around the country.

That means talking-head season is back, and there are none more beloved, or hated, than ESPN's Paul Finebaum.

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Finebaum is gearing up for his annual SEC lovefest. Generally favorable toward the Alabama Crimson Tide, he's started to be more critical of the program since Nick Saban's retirement.

With Alabama going into year three of the Kalen DeBoer Era, Finebaum is unsure if the head coach will be able to deliver a national championship to Tuscaloosa.

Paul Finebaum Doesn't Believe DeBoer Can Win Title At Alabama

Jan 8, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Paul Finebaum in attendance of the Mississippi Rebels against the Miami Hurricanes in the 2026 Fiesta Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Speaking on the Crain and Crone show on Monday regarding a variety of topics, Finebaum was asked straight up if he buys or sells DeBoer winning a title at Alabama, at any point during his tenure.

Finebaum has his doubts, pointing to the history of the program. 12 of the Crimson Tide's 13 championships since 1961 were delivered by Nick Saban or Bear Bryant.

"I'm selling that. I'll spare you the 'I think Kalen DeBoer is a good football coach'. I think everybody does, but the question is, is he going to win a championship at Alabama, and my answer is no," Finebaum said. "Sometimes these fits are really good, sometimes they're close to being good."

"This one's ok but Alabama's unique, and really, in the last 60 years only three people have won national championships at Alabama," Finebaum added. "Two of them happen to be the greatest coach of all time on the day they retired."

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DeBoer went 9-4 in 2024, Alabama's first season without 10+ wins since 2007. He followed that up with an 11-4 campaign and a College Football Playoff berth, but the Crimson Tide were blown out by Indiana in the Rose Bowl.

Alabama has secured three consecutive top-5 classes. At the same time, there hasn't been much stability at quarterback. DeBoer will be starting his third signal-caller in three years after Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson declared early for the NFL.

DeBoer has gotten close in the past, falling short in the national championship game against the Michigan Wolverines before taking his current position at Alabama.

"I think at Alabama you can be unique, you can be different, but Kalen DeBoer to me just doesn't have the right to win the title there. I think he's capable of winning it elsewhere," Finebaum said. "We all saw he came within a reasonable chance of winning it at Washington. I think he could probably have won one at Michigan. Alabama's different, I'm selling."

Alabama opens it season against East Carolina on September 5.

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