Paul Finebaum came away from Alabama’s Week 5 win in Starkville with a bigger takeaway than the rankings suggest.
After watching No. 7 Alabama crush No. 16 Mississippi State 56-23 at Davis Wade Stadium on Saturday, the ESPN and SEC Network analyst said the Crimson Tide looked like the best team he has seen all season, even if the analytics still point to Georgia.
“If you use the eye test, I'm telling you, Alabama looks like the most complete and best team that I have seen this season,” Finebaum said Sunday on ESPN.
What stood out most to Finebaum was how Alabama handled Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor, a player Finebaum had recently mentioned as a candidate to surpass Dak Prescott as the program’s most famous quarterback.
“They were dynamic in every aspect of the game, shutting down what we all thought may be the new wunderkind of college football,” Finebaum said.
Taylor was working through an injured ankle and never got comfortable. He threw two interceptions, lost a fumble and absorbed five sacks before exiting with Mississippi State down 26 points in the fourth quarter. Dijon Lee Jr. turned the first interception into a 30-yard touchdown return, and the Bulldogs finished with just 18 rushing yards on 30 carries.
“It’s pretty obvious that he wasn’t able to do anything with his legs,” Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby said.
Alabama had no such issues on offense. Keelon Russell went 16 of 22 for 285 yards and three touchdowns, and he also ran for a 17-yard score. The Crimson Tide found the end zone on all seven of their red zone trips, and their 56 points marked the most scored against a ranked home opponent in regulation in SEC history.
Finebaum wasn’t the only one on the ESPN set leaning toward a different SEC leader. Heather Dinich called Georgia the conference’s most complete team during the same segment.
“They're No. 3 in the country in total efficiency according to ESPN analytics, and No. 1 in offensive efficiency,” Dinich said. “I don't think Gunner Stockton is getting enough credit for what they're doing.”
Stockton threw for 295 yards and three touchdowns in Georgia’s 38-14 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday. Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt had also pegged Georgia as the SEC’s top team last week.
Dinich still had Georgia slotted behind Texas and Ohio State because of the level of competition the Bulldogs have faced.
“They've done it against the No. 97 schedule in the country to this point,” Dinich said. “You cannot ignore the Texas wins against Ohio State and on the road against the Vols.”
Texas beat Tennessee 20-17 in Knoxville on Sept. 26.
Georgia and Alabama are both 5-0 heading into a heavyweight meeting at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Oct. 10 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Alabama is 3-0 in SEC play and has scored at least 45 points in every game this season.
Kalen DeBoer has been strong in the biggest matchups, too. Alabama’s head coach is 17-5 in ranked-on-ranked games as an FBS head coach, and his 21 wins against ranked opponents since 2021 trail only Georgia’s Kirby Smart, who has 26 among active FBS coaches.
In Other News...
Alabama Found Two Reasons To Feel Better Before Georgia
Before Alabama turns its attention to Georgia, there were a couple of encouraging signs worth noting from the latest game. Keelon Russell gave the offense a lift by throwing for 285 yards and three touchdowns while adding a score on the ground, and the run game got meaningful help from a deeper group of backs, including Traeshawn Brown and EJ Crowell.
Xavier Griffin also stood out on the other side of the ball, leading the team in tackles and helping make several key defensive plays. Just as important for a defense looking to steady itself, Alabamas run front was much firmer against Mississippi State, holding the Bulldogs to 18 rushing yards and giving the Tide something concrete to carry into a bigger test. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Underwoods Struggles Leave Michigan With An Uncomfortable Week 5 Reality
Keelon Russells rise has become one of the more notable developments around Alabamas early-season start, and the quarterbacks recent stretch has only sharpened the attention. After throwing four touchdowns in the spring game and then piling up 10 passing touchdowns and 970 yards over three games, he has helped steady a team that rolled to a 56-23 win and moved to 5-0.
For Alabama, that kind of production matters not just in the standings but in the broader SEC picture, where quarterback play can change the feel of a season quickly. Around the country, other programs were dealing with their own storylines in Week 5, but Russells emergence has given Alabama a promising answer at the position and left the rest of the league watching what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Has A Real Shot To Climb After Saturdays Top 25 Chaos
Saturdays college football slate did Alabama a favor, even before the next AP Top 25 poll gets posted. USC barely survived an upset scare, Ohio State and Missouri both had results worth watching, and a few teams around the country did enough to create the kind of weekend that tends to shake up the middle and upper tiers of the rankings.
For Alabama, the bigger point is simple: the Crimson Tide have a real path to move up if the voters decide the chaos mattered as much as the resumes. The poll will be refreshed soon, and with conference play still unfolding, there is a decent chance the order gets jumbled in a way that opens the door for Alabama to climb if enough teams ahead of it wobble. [Read more 🡒]