Alabama’s stunning ReliaQuest Bowl loss to Michigan on Monday has one of the program’s staunchest advocates quite literally waving the white flag.
ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum dismissed Alabama completely on Wednesday’s Get Up for the defeat after advocating for the team to make the College Football Playoff this season.
“I led the Alabama parade to get them into the playoffs,” Finebaum said about the Crimson Tide. “On the first day of the new year, I’m surrendering. I am waiving the white flag. Forget Alabama!”
In what’s been a difficult transition from the Nick Saban era of Alabama football, losing Finebaum’s support on national television has to sting.
Paul Finebaum: "I led the Alabama parade to get them into the playoffs… on the first day of the new year, I'm surrendering. I am waiving the white flag. Forget Alabama!" pic.twitter.com/FfKCTlgcFd
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 1, 2025
Of course, Alabama’s omission from the 12-team College Football Playoff field got fans riled up. The first-round blowouts didn’t exactly quiet the anger down.
However, Alabama losing to an unranked team in a bowl game means it didn’t really deserve to be there. Finebaum admitting as much is such a kick in the head to the Crimson Tide. It’s an ugly way for this season to end in Tuscaloosa.
Feature image courtesy of ESPN.
