Joel Klatt: Oklahoma game showed why Alabama isn't a national championship contender

After Alabama’s 23–21 loss to Oklahoma in Week 12, Joel Klatt didn’t mince words about what the defeat revealed. The Crimson Tide, now 8–2 and still clinging to SEC Championship hopes, showed the exact issues that have kept Klatt from viewing them as a true national title threat. 

On the latest episode of The Joel Klatt Show, he explained why Saturday’s performance only reinforced his doubts about Alabama’s ceiling: “This is exactly why I don’t view them as a national championship contender,” Klatt said. “Even if they’re able to go and win the SEC, I still — they’re not going to be able to get through the Playoff and win a national championship because of that. 

“They have flaws and they will run into a matchup where they will lose again this season. They are not going to line up and win the rest of their games.”

Klatt admitted that making such a definitive statement comes with risk — especially with an Alabama program famous for proving critics wrong: “I shouldn’t have said it that definitively, because that’s just setting it up — that just has freezing cold takes exposed written all over it. Now Alabama is going to rattle off a national championship,” he joked. 

Still, he doubled down on what his eyes are telling him, that Alabama is too one-dimensional and too inconsistent to survive a CFP run. But any suggestion that Klatt is anti-Alabama? He shot that down immediately. 

“No, I don’t actually. I love Alabama. Alabama is so good for the sport. I love Kalen DeBoer. Ty Simpson is amazing. I love watching them. I love everything about Alabama. I love the dominance of Alabama,” Klatt added. “I don’t hate Alabama at all, at all.”

The message was simple, as Klatt respects the program, but he’s questioning the roster and their results. And after an 8–2 start capped by a home loss to the Sooners, Klatt believes the flaws are too significant for Alabama to overcome on the national stage, unless the Tide prove him wrong the way only Alabama can.

Luckily, they have a bit of a reprieve this weekend, with Eastern Illinois coming to town on Saturday. Talk about a get-right game. Then, it’s time for the Iron Bowl, as the Crimson Tide will travel to Jordan-Hare Stadium to face off against Auburn.

Another loss will surely doom their Playoff hopes, but winning out could secure their berth. Time will tell where it all ends up for Alabama, but Klatt is drawing his line in the sand.