The SEC Nation crew didn’t leave Lexington with much suspense about where it stood on Alabama-Kentucky.
As the show wrapped up this morning, Tim Tebow, Chase Daniel, Roman Harper and Paul Finebaum all backed the Crimson Tide over the Wildcats, setting up a clean sweep against the home team’s hopes. Kentucky enters the matchup as the clear underdog, but the crowd was still very much in the mood for an upset.
Tebow was the one who came closest to leaning the other way. He said Kentucky’s makeup gives it a shot and expects the Wildcats to keep things tight for a while. But when it came time to make the call, he landed on Alabama.
“So much in me wants to go Kentucky. I love what Will Stein is doing… I think they play this one extremely close.
Is it enough to get over the hump?” Tebow asked.
“I don’t think it is. I think Alabama makes enough plays in the fourth quarter to get a win.”
Daniel and Harper joined him in taking the Crimson Tide, leaving Finebaum to close out the segment with praise for Kentucky’s atmosphere before making the same pick. He made clear how much he appreciated the reception in Lexington, even while sticking with Alabama.
“We have been a lot of places on SEC Nation. But you guys are one of the greatest crowds, if not the best, we have ever had.
It has been unbelievable, and I thank you, from the bottom of my heart,” Finebaum said. “These are great people… just because you’re great people, doesn’t mean you’re gonna win the game.
Alabama wins.”
Kentucky at least found one national voice willing to break from the pack. On College GameDay, Kirk Herbstreit went against the grain and picked the Wildcats.
Alabama and Kentucky are set for a 3:30 p.m. E.T. kickoff on ABC.
In Other News...
Nick Sabans Alabama Start Came With A Backstory Fans Rarely Hear
Before Nick Saban became the defining coach of the Alabama era, ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum says there was a business side to his life that rarely gets much attention. Finebaum described Saban as having gone beyond football into a mix of investments and ownership, including several Mercedes-Benz dealerships and a piece of a boutique hotel, a reminder that his rise in Tuscaloosa came with more than just a coaching reputation attached to it.
Finebaum also raised a different layer to Sabans early Alabama story, one tied to the financial pressures and coaching rumors that floated around the time of his arrival in 2007. He suggested Sabans situation was shaped by past losses and by discussions about other jobs, including Texas, a version of events Saban has consistently denied. It is the kind of backstory that has long lingered around one of college footballs most scrutinized hires, even if the man at the center of it has never embraced that telling. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Can Push Alabama But One Doubt Still Looms
Alabamas trip to Kentucky has enough intrigue to make this one worth watching beyond the usual SEC backdrop. College football analyst David Pollack pointed to the Wildcats strong offensive line and the way the quarterback has played as reasons they could hang around with the No. 12 Crimson Tide, a combination that gives Kentucky a real chance to make the game uncomfortable for Alabama.
The bigger question, though, is whether that translates into something more than a competitive afternoon. Pollack still leaned toward Alabama, with the Tides depth standing out as the separator against a Kentucky defense that has not inspired the same confidence, leaving the game in that familiar spot where one side looks capable of making it close while the other still feels built to finish it off. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Faces Its First Real Test Against A Kentucky Team To Watch
Week 2 brings the first real measuring-stick game of the season for Alabama, and Kentucky is the sort of opponent that can tell us a lot before league play settles in. The Wildcats are on the radar not just because of the stage, but because they opened with a polished performance and have the kind of defense and quarterback play that can make a ranked team work for everything.
For Alabama, this is less about hype than about answering early questions in a game where both teams have something to prove. The Crimson Tide are still sorting out what their new-look offense can be under pressure, while Kentucky arrives with enough momentum to make this one feel bigger than a routine early-September tune-up. If the Tide want to separate themselves from the rest of the playoff conversation, this is the kind of test that has to look comfortable before it can look convincing. [Read more 🡒]