Overrated or underrated? Paul Finebaum weighs in on Alabama football's preseason ranking

USA Today

5 days ago

Alabama football is looking to bounce back following a 2024 season that saw the Crimson Tide lose four games for the first time since Nick Saban's first year in Tuscaloosa in 2007.
After going 9-4 a year ago, Alabama is ranked No. 8 in both the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25 poll entering 2025. According to longtime ESPN college football voice Paul Finebaum, the Crimson Tide are underrated entering Year 2 under coach Kalen DeBoer.
Finebaum joined fellow ESPN college football analyst Heather Dinich on Tuesday's edition of "Get Up" and told Dinich and host Mike Greenberg that Alabama was ranked too low.
"Don't be too shocked by this, Greeny, but Ohio State is too high and Heather, calm down, Alabama is too low," Finebaum said. "I really think Alabama is a serious national championship contender."
It's easy to see why Finebaum is high on Alabama. Even with a first-year starter at quarterback in Ty Simpson, the Crimson Tide return a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. Ryan Williams, Germie Bernard and Isaiah Horton lead one of the deepest wide receiver rooms in the nation.
Jam Miller returns at tailback with another year of experience under his belt, and with Kadyn Proctor leading the way up front, PFF (Pro Football Focus) ranked Alabama with the best offensive line in the nation entering 2025.
Alabama's defense features elite pass rushers in LT Overton and Tim Keenan, plus linebacker Deontae Lawson and a secondary that's widely seen as one of the best units in the country with cornerbacks Domani Jackson and Zabien Brown, and safeties Keon Sabb and Bray Hubbard.
The Crimson Tide open the season at Florida State at Tallahassee's Doak Campbell Stadium on Aug. 30. The game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff on ABC. The Seminoles are unranked in the preseason top 25 polls.
Paul Finebaum calls Ohio State 'overrated' entering 2025
Finebaum expanded on his thoughts that Ryan Day's Buckeyes (No. 2 Coaches Poll, No. 3 AP) were ranked too high coming off their national championship season a year ago.
"I don't get Ohio State at all, Greeny," Finebaum said Tuesday. "I know they won the national championship last year. That has nothing to do with it. They don't have the same team, and that national championship hangover is going to get to them. We'll see that in about two and a half weeks when Texas gets up there and walks out of that stadium a winner."
Ohio State hosts the Texas in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup on Aug. 30 in Columbus. Finebaum said recently that he believes Texas with Arch Manning at quarterback will win the national championship this season.
Alabama football schedule 2025
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