Paul Finebaum is out with his assessment of how SEC College Football Playoff contenders appear entering the 2024 season.

Finebaum said on WJOX and the “McElroy and Cubelic In the morning” show that he has Alabama in the Playoff mix in the second tier of SEC teams in a group with Ole Miss and Missouri. Georgia and Texas lead the class in the conference.

“I might have had a little more confidence in that a couple of days ago,” Finebaum said of Alabama. “Without knowing the OC situation is, but I still think there are so many great players on that team. And I think DeBoer is a very competent coach that it’s going to come down to one game, and it’s going to come down to one game. I’m not playing games here, but I see Alabama losing a game or two. But it’s just a matter of that one game, do they win it, and get in the Playoffs, or not. And right now I favor them getting in.”

Greg McElroy weighed in and said Alabama’s bye weeks setup nicely, even though it’s a challenging schedule.

“I believe the coaching staff will be able to handle that,” McElroy said.