It’s campaigning season for college football’s contenders, and Alabama is busy making its case. A day after Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne made his pitch for the Crimson Tide on social media, head coach Kalen DeBoer stumped for his team during multiple television appearances on Tuesday morning.
DeBoer’s campaigning began on SEC Network’s SEC This Morning when he presented Alabama’s case by highlighting the Tide’s strength of schedule. According to ESPN, Alabama has the No. 10 strength of record and ranks No. 4 in the Football Power Index, a statistical rating system used to measure a team's strength. The Tide’s resume includes wins of three current top 25 teams, including No. 7 Georgia, No. 15 South Carolina and No. 21 Missouri.
“The wins we have and the week-to-week schedule we play in the SEC, I think it’s undeniable of what that all is,” DeBoer told SEC This Morning. “It’s not just the games that are against the top five or 10, it’s the whole season long. It’s each and every week. The strength of schedule for us … it’s very deserving that with what we did that we’re one of those 12 teams.”
DeBoer is in his first year at Alabama after leading Washington to the national championship game last season. Tuesday, the head coach said that he’s familiar with the qualities of a national championship team and feels Alabama shares several of those traits.
“We have the explosiveness, we have the physicality. We’re very balanced as a football team,” DeBoer said during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. “ When I see championship teams, and I’ve just a year ago saw what that looked like, I think about what’s inside and who you are as a team and also what you have as far as athletes on the football field and what that looks like in all the different phases.”
While rattling off Alabama’s strengths on the field, DeBoer mentioned the Tide’s defense, which leads the SEC and ranks second nationally with 27 takeaways. He also highlighted the play of dual-threat quarterback Jalen Milroe, who has 35 total touchdowns (20 rushing, 15 passing this season).
“We have some strong strengths, and a quarterback that’s as good as anyone in the country,” DeBoer said on The Pat McAfee Show. “He’s elite, and anytime he’s got the ball in his hands, you’ve got a chance to hit a home run, both with his legs and his arm.
“Upfront, offensive line, defensive line, I think we’re what you’re looking for when it comes to playing at that championship level. … I feel like we’re one of those teams that is for sure good enough to be in the final 12.”
Milroe has experienced an up-and-down year, putting together Heisman-worthy performances against Georgia and LSU while failing to move the offense during losses to Tennessee and Oklahoma. Tuesday, DeBoer pointed out that Milroe’s best outings have come when he’s had extra time to prepare for his opponents. Coming off of open weeks against Georgia and LSU, the redshirt junior combined for 891 total yards and eight touchdowns in the pair of wins.
If Alabama does make the College Football Playoff, it’s first game would be on Dec. 20 or Dec. 21. If the Tide advanced, it wouldn’t play again until either Dec. 31 or Jan. 1. The semifinal round will be held on Jan. 9 or Jan. 10, while the national championship game is scheduled for Jan. 20.
“That’s the great thing about the way it’s set up is that it’s maybe not exactly seven days,” DeBoer said on The Pat McAfee Show. “And every day after seven, it helps with the guys in their recovery. It’s obviously impactful in your chance to game plan and get ready as a team. So all that matters. And like you said, when Jalen is fresh there's really no one like him at the quarterback position in the country"
While DeBoer believes Alabama would benefit from the extra days in between games during the playoff, he also noted that the Tide’s SEC schedule has prepared it to face tough teams on a consecutive basis.
“That’s part of what prepares you a postseason, especially a postseason run that includes now up to four games for teams,” DeBoer said on The Pat McAfee Show. “I think that stacking those games and going through a season like you have to, that grind I think only gives you need from a resiliency standpoint. Toughness, physicality from week to week, being able to come back from one week and be able to do it again the next week, I mean that’s what this league’s all about.”
While this year’s College Football Playoff has been expanded to 12 teams, Alabama will need to be ranked No. 11 or better in order to survive being jumped by the Big 12 title winner, who will likely claim the No. 12 seed due to being the fifth-highest-ranked conference champion. Alabama (9-3) is currently sitting on the playoff bubble along with Miami (10-2), South Carolina (9-3) and Ole Miss (9-3).
Alabama should receive a good indication of its playoff fate when the committee announces its latest rankings on Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.
