Kirk Herbstreit is 'leaning to Alabama' to win the national championship
With how college football has changed over the past few seasons, Alabama has become a program that some have started to count out. Whether it’s because of Georgia’s success or otherwise, many don’t see the Crimson Tide as the proverbial top dog in the sport anymore, at least not definitively.
However, Kirk Herbstreit knows better than to do such a thing. In an appearance on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ on Thursday, Herbstreit didn’t just back up ‘Bama amidst all the doubt. He actually went as far as to say that, as of today, the Tide are his pick to win the College Football Playoff in 2023 because “it’s guaranteed.”
“You’ve got to be a step ahead of everything in this world, right? Be really careful of listening to, ‘Well, David Pollack said there’s a new (favorite)’. (Because) that’s right when Alabama comes back and just throws their trump card down and whips everyone,” Herbstreit said.
“I haven’t even really, like, dug in (but) I’m already leaning to Alabama to win the national championship,” added Herbstreit. “Just when you say Nick (Saban) is done, Alabama’s done, Kirby (Smart) says goodbye? Here comes Alabama. They’re going to win it all.
“So if I’m betting right now? I don’t even know what it says in Vegas. (But) I’m betting on Alabama to win the national championship,” he continued. “I would say at this point? It’s guaranteed. We’ll see with injuries and what happens. But do not sleep on ‘Bama.”
Considering it’s June, that’s about as definitive as definitive can be. Still, there are obvious reasons to believe that Alabama can do what Herbstreit is saying.
For one, the Tide, who lost plenty of key pieces to the NFL Draft, will bring back some studs on both sides of the ball. That group includes names like defensive stars Dallas Turner and Kool-Aid McKinstry along with offensive contributors like Jase McClellan, Ja’Corey Brooks, Kobe Prentice, and Jermaine Burton. For two, the response to doubt is a real thing. Saban will almost certainly want to quiet the questioning of him and his program in Tuscaloosa this fall.
Still, there are plenty of valid questions with the Tide as well, which is normal at this time of the year. One would be the undecided quarterback battle between Jalen Milroe, Ty Simpson, and Tyler Buchner. Another would be the impact of having new coordinators with OC Tommy Rees and DC Kevin Steele.
There’s not much that you can ‘guarantee’ with the season still two months away. Even so, Herbstreit gave Alabama a very definitive seal of approval when it came to how he felt about what Saban and the Tide can accomplish in 2023.