Paul Finebaum, ESPN's analyst who's always trending for his bold statements, had an uplifting bombshell for Kalen DeBoer and the Alabama Crimson Tide after a spectacular 41-34 win over Georgia at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Week 5.
"Alabama is, for the first time in my mind, this season a legitimate National Championship Contender and more than a contender, they look like two or three teams to be" Finebaum said on the Matt Barrie show.
What made the statement surprising coming from Finebaum' was his preseason opinion on the Crimson Tide. The ESPN analyst confessed that he hardly believed Jalen Milroe and his offense could play this well, especially against a powerhouse like Georgia.
"I am surprised how well Alabama has played. I know that's kind of going to the very top of the Christmas tree but if you had given me the stats for Alabama including the Georgia game, I would have said you're out of your mind," Finebaum said, expressing how surprisingly unexpected Alabama's win was for him.
Paul Finebaum calls Alabama-Georgia the best SEC game he's ever seen
Frankly, everyone was in for some serious action on Saturday evening and they got exactly it. The 41-34 rollercoaster of a game left their spectators, even the ones who have witnessed some of the best games in CFB, speechless.
Finebaum was one of them.
Although he already confessed that Alabama's performance left him stunned, anyone didn't expect Finebaum to categorize it as one of the finest showdowns he's ever seen in decades.
"I have covered SEC for more than 40 years. And I believe that's the best college football game in the SEC I have seen during all those years," Finebaum said on ESPN. "You saw the lead, you saw the comeback, you saw the ending. It had everything you could possibly have."
After the action we witnessed on Saturday, DeBoer has raised the bar higher for himself and the Tide.
There may just be a new "Bama Standard."
