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We're at the halfway point of the college football season and everyone is asking the same question they always seem to ask this time of year: Can anyone beat Alabama?
The answer might not be a clear-cut “no” like in years past. Just last week we released our ranking of the nine teams that could give the Crimson Tide problems and on Wednesday another major college football voice, Joel Klatt, said the Tide can be beaten too.
FOX’s lead college football analyst was asked about the Crimson Tide on Tuesday, and gave an interesting answer. In the process he also explained the one weakness that may cost the Crimson Tide later in the season.
"I do believe in the old adage ‘to be the champ, you’ve got to beat the champ.’ So right now, yes, Alabama is the reigning national champion, ranked No. 1 and should be. If I was a voter I’d have them ranked No. 1 in the poll.
That being said, it’s not clear-cut. They have some holes, some things, some warts if you will, to clean up. Namely, the pass defense. An area that Nick Saban is supposed to be the expert in, and he handles a lot of the secondary coaching and right now there have been way too many missed assignments, blown coverages in the back-end up for Alabama. They gave up 400 yards passing to Ole Miss, and you can understand that because it’s Chad Kelly, the best quarterback in the SEC. But then last week they gave up 400 yards passing to Arkansas. That’s a Bret Bielema coached team. There aren’t many games where they throw for 400 yards, and they’re doing it against Alabama. That’s concerning to me."
Alabama has beaten so many opponents so easily this season that it’s easy to forget that like every other team, the Crimson Tide do have holes. And in a year where their offense looks as good as ever, that secondary may be its biggest one.
So while Alabama should still be ranked No. 1, who could challenge them? Klatt lists three contenders, including a team he saw earlier this season in person: Ohio State.
“So with those types of holes, you have to look at other types of contenders, Ohio State being one of those. Watching Ohio State throttle Oklahoma in Norman was eye-opening. With all those young players, they’re so fundamentally sound.
I think Washington is a great football team. Their quarterback should be mentioned in the Heisman Trophy race, probably second to Lamar Jackson. Jake Browning has 23 touchdowns and only two interceptions.
I think you’ve got to throw Michigan in there with the hellacious defense they’re playing. So now, I don’t think it’s clear-cut as people want to make it out. Alabama has got some holes, whether its in the SEC Championship game, this week against Tennessee or down the road in the College Football Playoff.”
Those three teams that Klatt mentions are interesting, especially since earlier in the day, in our power rankings of the teams most likely to win the national championship, the Buckeyes, Wolverines and Huskies were ranked in the Top 4, along with Alabama.
So who’s No. 1? It’s Alabama right now. But Klatt may have found the hole that will cost them that top ranking at some point.
