Paul Finebaum says Alabama football is in ‘shambles’ after embarrassing loss to Indiana
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Paul Finebaum never holds back, not ever, especially when it comes to Alabama football, no matter what the general mood is.
After Bama’s New Year’s Day debacle against Indiana that booted the Crimson Tide right out of the College Football Playoff, take a wild guess what that mood was. And take a wild guess what Finebaum’s mood was regarding Alabama as it heads into 2026.
The ESPN college football analyst appeared on First Take on Friday morning, and let’s just say he didn’t take the low-key approach in discussing what kind of shape the Crimson Tide are in after that 38-3 quarterfinal loss to the undefeated Hoosiers.
“It’s in shambles,” said Finebaum when assessing Alabama football at this moment. “And I know that sounds like a remarkable statement, considering they were in the quarterfinals (on Thursday). But because it was on the grandest stage in college football, against a team that nobody in Alabama respected, and I’m talking about the fans, they look at Indiana and laugh.”
Finebaum saw what everyone else saw on the field, too, and particularly at the point of attack.
“(Indiana) wasn’t just winning the game on the scoreboard, they were beating Alabama at the line of scrimmage to a pulp,” Finebaum said. “They looked soft, they looked poorly coached. It was laughable.”
Finebaum then directed his ire at Kalen DeBoer, who has heard it from everywhere in the aftermath of the season-ending loss.
“I realize Kalen DeBoer played for the SEC championship, but he wasted a lot of that good capital (on Thursday),” Finebaum said. “I’m not saying Kalen DeBoer is gone. But there are very few Alabama fans today who believe he can win a national championship.”
Here is the video of Finebaum’s full “morning after” rant regarding Alabama football:
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
