Alabama is ‘one million percent’ a statement team in 2023

It’s a statement year in college football, as the spot is on the verge of entering a new era. Plenty of teams will be looking to establish or re-establish themselves as contenders on the national level. And as crazy as it might sound, On3’s J.D. PicKell believes the Alabama Crimson Tide is one of them.

Alabama is fresh off a season of not being included in the College Football Playoff. Head coach Nick Saban may have campaigned for his squad but the Crimson Tide finished fifth in the final rankings. They did won even win the SEC West, with LSU representing the division at the SEC Championship.

PicKell thinks Alabama will want to make sure nobody forgot about them. Nobody in Tuscaloosa subscribes to the dynasty being pronounced dead.

“They are one million percent a statement team when it comes to this upcoming season,” PicKell said. “The statement they would like to make is ‘did you forget about us?’ I think, even more so, ‘how did you forget about us?’ They want to remind everybody that Bama is still Bama.”

PicKell is not one of them but there is some thought Alabama has been dethroned. Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs have taken over as the college football kings. Winning two straight national championships, with one being over the Crimson Tide, gives them the right to wear the crown.

As of now, there is not an Alabama-Georgia matchup on the schedule. The duo are likely favored to meet up with one another in Atlanta for the SEC Championship game. PicKell does not believe a head-to-head win is needed for Saban though, thinking a College Football Playoff appearance would suffice.

“They want to remind a lot of people in other circles of the SEC that Nick Saban has not lost his touch at all,” PicKell said. “Yes, Georgia is back-to-back national champs. No one is taking that away from them. But I think for Alabama, if they were able to get back to the College Football Playoff, I think that would send a very clear message to everyone else.

“The statement will be very clear. ‘We’re not going anywhere. You really forget about us? Really? You thought we were going to fade into that? You must not know what we’re about here at Bama.’ Get back to bully ball, that’s going to be a big piece of it for Bama to make that statement.”

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