Paul Finebaum Names SEC Powerhouse Whose Season Could End This Week

One of the better positioned college football title favorites out of the SEC could see their entire season effectively end this weekend if things don’t go according to plan.

Paul Finebaum has identified one blue-blood program who was supposed to make a return to the College Football Playoff that could see their ambitions go up in smoke.

Is Alabama’s season on the line this week?

Paul Finebaum Names SEC Powerhouse Whose Season Could End This Week — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“If Alabama loses this game, forget it,” Finebaum said of the Crimson Tide ahead of its critical road game at LSU this Saturday.

“Remember, they got in last year with three losses, their third loss being the SEC Championship Game. That’s not going to happen this year because their non-conference is very poor. Their best win there is Florida State. I think we know what happened there this week.”

What happened there was the firing, finally, of Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell, a turn of events that could conspire against Alabama’s win over that team having much currency in the selection committee room.

Bama’s win over UK is even more important now

“They do have a win over Kentucky, so they will desperately need Kentucky to keep winning,” Finebaum added of the Tide.

Alabama played close early at UK but pulled away in the second half for a 45-17 road win, to date the only blemish on the Wildcats’ record.

That’s a quality win for the Tide, given Kentucky currently sits atop the SEC standings. And it could look even better as UK goes to Tennessee this Saturday.

Kentucky beating the Vols would make Alabama’s win at Lexington an even more important commodity among playoff selectors.

But a Wildcat loss on Rocky Top, where Bama also lost a 26-10 decision to UT, could diminish what Kalen DeBoer’s team did against Kentucky earlier this year.

LSU is still in the playoff mix, too

Lane Kiffin’s squad has losses to Ole Miss and Kentucky, both ranked, but faces an equally critical test against the Crimson Tide this week.

“LSU has a better path because of the schedule,” Finebaum said.

“They’ll have Texas next week, a team that could be in trouble or could be looking good, and later in the year they go to Tennessee, which could be a playoff team.

“LSU has a narrow path [with a loss], Alabama has no path [with a loss].”

What happens between LSU and Alabama has often had national title implications in recent years, and what transpires on Saturday will prove no different.

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