Paul Finebaum makes bold claim about Alabama's Playoff chances ahead of Georgia showdown

ESPN’s Paul Finebaum called Alabama–Georgia a College Football Playoff elimination game for the Crimson Tide and we’re not even into October yet! But it’s simple math for Finebaum.

With a loss to Florida State already, Alabama can ill afford a second loss. Granted, they could get in at 10-2, as evidenced by other teams in last year’s CFP.

But with the schedule they have remaining, beating a top tier team like Georgia is almost required for the remainder of the season. Heck, it seems like Finebaum has Alabama walking on eggshells moving forward.

“I’m in on that, because they’ve already lost to Florida State,” Finebaum said on SportsCenter. “Now that may look like a really good loss, but the problem is the calculus, it will be their second loss of the season, and Alabama still has Vanderbilt. Yes, you heard me, Vanderbilt, in a week or two. They have Tennessee, LSU, Oklahoma, Auburn. I mean, there’s just an endless stream of tough games. Alabama needs to win this game to stay alive.”

Alabama had two weeks to prepare for Georgia and they knew that coming in. However, the Bulldogs had the same situation. As we sit here on Sunday, it’s now game-week between Alabama and Georgia.

“We get back right away on Sunday and we make sure we cover everything we have to from the game and make the corrections and just kind of review that,” head coach Kalen DeBoer said during his Coaches Show this week. “Get our workouts in, and then try to let the guys early in the week on Monday, especially, get to class. And that’s normally our day off anyway, and now they’ve been working out and we’re getting back on the practice field here the latter part of the week here. 

“I just like having that day or two where they’re a little bit awake and take care of their business, get caught up with any school or whatever it might be. And it’s good mentally and physically to kind of refresh.”

Alabama got the better of Georgia last season in a thriller. But to just hope that happens again would be foolhardy.“I mean, just a balanced football team that’s gonna compete right till the very end,” DeBoer said of Georgia. It doesn’t matter if they’re up or down. They’re just gonna keep playing, and gonna have a good mix of run with pass. Just a balanced team in every way that you look at it. And so, a group that’s got some experience.

“Maybe a couple spots where there’s some young guys in there. But quarterback, with Gunner Stockton, already played some big games, whether it be at the end of the year last year or this last week. So, he’s got that experience.”