Alabama has certainly turned heads since its loss to Texas, and the latest triumph was against LSU Saturday night. Did that do enough to get the Crimson Tide back in the College Football Playoff hunt?

ESPN commentator Paul Finebaum made his regular Sunday morning “SportsCenter” appearance and explained.

“Since that moment when the Tide was really humiliated down the stretch against Texas, Nick Saban has coached his finest season I think in his entire career,” Finebaum said. “It has been absolutely virtuoso, it’s been brilliant. He has dialed up all the right moves, especially in the 2nd half. His offense has at times struggled in the 1st half.”

Finebaum joked that the Jalen Milroe benching for the South Florida game may be a trivia question some day, if Alabama wins the national championship.

“But it’s all about the defense, and Nick Saban we know masterminds that,” Finebaum said. “Kudos to him, it’s been absolutely amazing to watch.”

Alabama returns to action this week at Kentucky in a noon ET kickoff.