You don't need to watch more than one quarter of an Alabama Crimson Tide game this season to know that they're an insanely talented football team from top to bottom. They're dominating opponents in 2018 at a level that even this dynasty hasn't reached since Nick Saban took over in Tuscaloosa.
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No matter where you turn though, haters are everywhere. The Crimson Tide's dominance, record-setting start and continued pursuit to improve keeps adding to their aura as college football's premier program. Still, at least one voter in the weekly Associated Press poll isn't convinced that Alabama is even one of the two best teams in the country.
Soren Petro is host of The Program on Sports Radio 810 WHB in Kansas City, and he is one of 61 journalists who vote on the AP poll every week.
During this past week's poll, 60 of the 61 voters ranked Alabama as the top team in the nation. Petro was the only one who did not select Alabama at No. 1. As he did during the preseason, Petro ranked the Crimson Tide behind both Clemson and Georgia at No. 1 and 2, respectively.
On the Paul Finebaum Show, Petro explained his reasoning:
"It really goes back to before the season of why I didn't have Alabama No. 1 to start. Because of all the losses on the defensive side of the ball, and it's also question marks at the quarterback spot. We saw one great half of football from Tua in the championship game, but can he do it game in and game out?"
For reference of the "week in and week out" comment, sophomore quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is sixth in the country in completion percentage (72.5), seventh in touchdown passes (12) and he's on pace to break the NCAA record for passing efficiency in a season (230.5) so far this year.
But sure, Petro is still standing by the idea that he can't do it week after week.
"I'm not really worried about [being called out]," Petro continued. "I'm not concerned whether or not people agree with me or not. Put it together, to me, I think Clemson's defensive line, I like what they bring to the table. I like their talent overall. I think schedule wise, that they got a similar schedule to Alabama, both of them are soft this year, frankly."
"In fact," Petro added, "I'd have more respect if people were saying LSU 'ought to be number one, but Alabama is getting all the clamoring because of what they've done in years' past. We're not giving a career achievement award here."
Yeah, the AP vote isn't a career achievement award. It's also not even the poll that matters at the end of the year.
Soren Petro is getting caught with his pants down after thinking Alabama was going to have a down year in the preseason. Too bad for him, because not only is this offense dominant, but this defense is turning out to be one of the best in the country, and they lead the SEC in sacks, interceptions and are second in scoring defense so far in 2018.
Somebody should get him to a game to watch this team play. Actually, never mind. Petro might not make it out of Tuscaloosa unscathed after getting blasted on Paul Finebaum's show for the entire state of Alabama to sit back and enjoy.
