Paul Finebaum determines if Alabama or Miami is likelier to go on run in the College Football Playoff

No. 9 Alabama and No. 10 Miami were highly debated as at-large teams who made the field this year for the College Football Playoff. Now, with some massive road games ahead for both this weekend, are the Crimson Tide or Hurricanes better able to pull an upset, if not more than one, in the CFP?

Paul Finebaum answered that question between ‘Bama and The ‘U during an appearance on ‘First Take’ on Thursday morning. He went with Alabama, not just because of its first-round game tomorrow night against Oklahoma, but because he sees their portion of the bracket as an easier path overall in the CFP.

“I’m going to say Alabama. And, I don’t think either is set up well, but I do like the path of Alabama for a couple reasons,” Finebaum said. “Should they win in Norman tomorrow night, then they move on to the Rose Bowl to take on Indiana. I realize Indiana is number one in the country, but I’d rather go through Indiana and then Oregon or Texas Tech than the bottom of the bracket, where I think the two biggest threats to win the title are, and that is Ohio State and, yes, the University of Georgia.”

However, Stephen A. Smith, Shae Cornette, Dan Orlovsky, and Ryan Clark all disagreed with him and instead went with Miami. That led Finebaum to further break down his pick of Alabama, with him liking their chances, based on how their game played out earlier in the regular season back in mid-November, to get a win first tomorrow over OU in Norman.

“Well, I’m chuckling because, I mean, I understand the hating on Alabama, and we all saw the same games that you have. But I think, if you go back to the Alabama-Oklahoma game, Alabama looked like the better team. They did everything right, except they threw a pick-six, missed a short field goal, and they simply couldn’t convert. That’s been their problem all along. And, I know I’m just grasping at stars, maybe, thinking that they can shore up that offensive line, maybe actually go into a plus…but, a few tweaks, and they’ve got some healthier players back? I just think the love for Oklahoma, and I don’t even think it’s love. It is a home game, but Oklahoma has done almost nothing offensively. They’re entirely a defensive team,” Finebaum said. “If Alabama can return to form, like they did in the first half of the season, I think they’ll move on from this game.”