Paul Finebaum explains why No. 1 Georgia has become 'the new Alabama'

Paul Finebaum believes Georgia is the new standard for college football.

While Nick Saban’s Alabama program carried that flag for over a decade, Finebaum believes Kirby Smart’s squad has supplanted the Crimson Tide. During an appearance on Sportscenter on Sunday morning, Finebaum explained why he believes, “Georgia is the new Alabama.”

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“In many ways, Georgia is the new Alabama,” stated Finebaum. “Why is that so? Well, for obvious reasons. They look like the best Alabama teams that Nick Saban had back, maybe a couple of years ago when Kirby Smart was his defensive coordinator. I’m not saying Alabama isn’t still out there, but they have holes. They have deficiencies. Georgia doesn’t. They look like the perfect team. They look like you went into a lab and put them together. I realize it’s early, but they still beat Oregon. We can say whatever we want, but Oregon finally bounced back yesterday. They went on the road to South Carolina and we all heard of how difficult that was. Well, they were up 48-0 when Carolina got a garbage touchdown.

“They’re not giving up any points, and that reminds me so much of Kirby Smart, defensive coordinator under Nick Saban.”

Nobody looks like they’re on the level of the Bulldogs in 2022, and Paul Finebaum can see that. Georgia may have an inside track to the College Football Playoff, but the SEC — and Alabama — will have plenty to say to them over the remainder of the season.

More on Georgia Bulldogs, 48-7 victory over South Carolina

Moreover, there were still teaching moments for head coach Kirby Smart during the Bulldogs’ 48-7 victory over South Carolina.

His defense surrendered its first touchdown of the young 2022 campaign when backup Gamecocks quarterback Luke Doty dropped a 13-yard touchdown pass to Traevon Kenion with 53 seconds to play. The score came against the second-team defense, which Smart explained can be a learning experience for the group.

“I think (the starters) want those guys to learn. We’re big on playing guys,” Smart told ESPN sideline reporter Molly McGrath following the game. “We were playing some guys as early as the second series of the second half so they can get experience for us. It’s unfortunate, but the ones didn’t get scored on. So the big deal for them is to keep trying to fight to do that.”

While Smart would have preferred to hold the shutout, he knows his group can learn from the late touchdown drive.

Getting this year’s group all the way up to the standard set by last year’s outstanding defense is the goal, Smart said in his postgame interview. That will take time as the depth continues to figure things out.