This 2018 Alabama Crimson Tide team is something else. That’s putting it mildly. After being predicated by dominant defense under Nick Saban, the Tide has shifted to an offensive juggernaut that is leading the FBS in points per game, scoring a staggering 51.3 PPG. They’re passing for 341.6 yards per game and rushing for 224 yards per game. But that’s not to say their defense is performing poorly. They’re still 7th in the FBS in points allowed per game (14.1). They’re stopping the run, and the secondary, which was supposed to be the weakness of the unit, is keeping teams from moving the ball through the air.
Aside from the stats, the eye test supports this team being the juggernaut it is. Tua Tagovailoa is the current front runner for the Heisman Trophy. When it’s all said and done, he could be the greatest quarterback to ever play at Alabama. But, behind him, there’s Jalen Hurts, who dozens of team would love to have as their starter right now. This could be the best receiving corps we’ve ever seen in Tuscaloosa. It’s four deep with NFL talent (and that’s not even counting tight end Irv Smith), and speaking of NFL talent, they have a backfield loaded with four guys who will likely play on Sundays, too.
On defense, Deionte Thompson is having an all-SEC type of year with 50 tackles, five passes deflected, and two interceptions. Isaiah Buggs and Christian Miller make up two of the SEC’s three leading sack artists…only behind Kentucky’s Josh Allen. DL Quinnen Williams has developed into one of the greatest linemen in the country, and Mack Wilson hits everything that moves with the velocity of a Ford F150. This is proving to be one of if not the most talented Alabama teams in the program’s history. I certainly can’t recall ever seeing one like it in my 32 years of ‘Bama fan-hood.
This team is so good that analysts are starting to not only mention them as one of the greatest Alabama teams of all time, but one of the greatest college football teams of all time.
So, naturally, it begs the question – who in the hell is going to hold a candle to these guys? Nationally, I think there’s only a small handful of teams that could.
Clemson Tigers
The first team that’s going to come to mind for a lot of folks is Clemson. After all, they have comparable bodies of work – they’re both scoring a ton of points, they’re playing good defense, and they’ve both played relatively weak schedules to this point. One’s #1, the other’s #2. That said, the Tigers haven’t played anyone even remotely as good as LSU. Furthermore, the bad teams they’ve played have been really bad. The ACC is far worse than the SEC this year. But, these two teams do have a common opponent: Texas A&M. Alabama beat ’em by 22. Clemson beat ’em by two. The Tigers also struggled to put away Syracuse, narrowly escaping with a four-point victory.
When the competition steps up, the Tigers fail to put teams away. Trevor Lawrence is a damn good quarterback, but he’s not quite the type of player that scares you as an Alabama fan. We’ve seen guys like Cam Newton, Johnny Manziel, and Deshaun Watson destroy Tide defenses, but Lawrence is not that type of dual-threat quarterback (he averages 1.8 yards per carry…). And, we know how this Tide team can play against an elite defense. As much as I love this championship-level Clemson-Alabama rivalry, I don’t think the Tigers would stand a chance this year.
Michigan Wolverines
Y’all ready for my hot take? The Michigan Wolverines are the team best suited to win against Alabama. They have the best pass defense in the entire country, and they’re rushing for 217.9 yards per game. If you’re going to beat Alabama, you’re going to have to find a way to limit big passing plays – whether it’s rattle Tagovailoa or just simply cover those game-breaking Tide receivers. On offense, you have to be able to run the ball against a run defense that isn’t as stout as it’s been in years past in order to chew up clock.
It’s still a matter of execution, and I’m not saying it’d be easy or even likely for the Wolverines, but if anyone in the country is built to beat ‘Bama, it’s them. Plus, the Wolverines are battle tested – they went on the road and nearly beat Notre Dame. In the last three weeks, they’ve played three ranked opponents, and subsequently dominated three ranked opponents. This is a team that’s picking up steam.
Now, quarterback Shea Patterson played Alabama last year and had an absolutely terrible game – but let’s not compare his supporting cast at Ole Miss in 2017 to his supporting cast at Michigan in 2018. I just know that’s going to be a point someone tries to bring up here.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
I do think Ian Book is the type of quarterback who could give Saban fits under the right circumstances. But, if you look at Notre Dame’s body of work, what exactly inspires you that this team can rise up and challenge Alabama? They’ve struggled far too much this year to be taken seriously as a legitimate National Championship contender. They’re a top 20 defense and a top 30-35ish offense so far – is that good enough to beat ‘Bama? I’m not sure they’d beat Michigan if the teams played again.
Georgia Bulldogs
The Bulldogs have the backfield to hang with the Tide’s defense, but unfortunately for Georgia, LSU laid the blueprint for how to completely dismantle their offense. Ultimately, we’re going to find out if Georgia can knock off Alabama in this year’s SEC Championship, but for now, I’d put them on the ‘less likely to upset ‘Bama’ end of the spectrum. They kind of seem like “Alabama light” this season.
Oklahoma Sooners
The 74th ranked defense in terms of PPG is certainly a liability when you’re playing Alabama but hear me out here. There’s a reason I included the Sooners on this list. If anyone has an offense that can score as many points as Alabama, it’s Oklahoma. They’re scoring 49.1 PPG and they also happen to have a quarterback who fits the mold of “Saban kryptonite.” Kyler Murray has 574 rushing yards to go with his 2,689 passing yards. If not for Tagovailoa, he could very well be the Heisman winner – but, if the Sooners were to win, it’d be one of those 71-68 type of games.
If I’m ranking teams in order of most likely to least likely to beat Alabama, I’m going:
- Michigan
- Clemson
- Oklahoma
- Georgia
- Notre Dame
- Washington State
- West Virginia
- Ohio State
- LSU
- Kentucky
Who did I leave off? Where did I get it wrong? Let me know in the comments.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
Check out the SoBros Shop. Subscribe to our Patreon. Give us money for no reason. Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @SoBrosNetwork. Listen on SoundCloud. Watch on YouTube.
