Dari Nowkhah has a bold take on Alabama’s prospects heading into the 2023 campaign.

The SEC Network host thinks head coach Nick Saban is brewing up something special while outsiders minimize the expectations for the Crimson Tide.

Despite the loss of Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Bryce Young to the pros, Nowkhah sees no reason to believe Alabama can’t return to the College Football Playoff.

“This is setting up to be Nick Saban’s greatest season yet. He loves the doubters. He loves the negative rat poison,” Nowkhah said. “I picked them to win the west. I still think that’s a playoff-type team although I didn’t put them in the playoff.”

Nowkhah isn’t concerned about the quarterback situation with the Crimson Tide, instead placing faith in Saban to make the correct choice between Jalen Milroe, Tyler Buchner, and Ty Simpson.

“I think Nick Saban and this Alabama program has better than anybody expects at quarterback. I refuse to believe that they’re going to walk out there with a quarterback that flat out can’t play and hurts the team…” Nowkhah said. “If you’re Nick, let everybody believe it. ‘Man I can’t pick my guy. I just don’t have a guy. I’ve got a 3-horse race.”

Overall, Nowkhah thinks Alabama has a chip on its shoulder to regain its status as the top program in the SEC.

“I just feel like it’s stuff that we don’t know and we’re going to watch Alabama come out and kind of remind us: ‘We’re still around. I know Georgia has won the last 2 titles but we’re still around,'” Nowkhah said.