Nick Saban Ranked Alabama Behind Michigan, Washington, Texas in Final Coaches Poll

Alabama head coach Nick Saban didn't spring any surprises when he listed off the top teams on his Top 25 Coaches Poll ballot to close out the 2023 season.

Saban had Michigan in the No. 1 slot followed by Washington, Texas, Alabama and Georgia. The top four mirrored the seeding for the College Football Playoff, though the final Coaches Poll had the Bulldogs two spots ahead of the Crimson Tide.

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Coaches Poll

1. Michigan 
2. Washington 
3. Georgia 
4. Texas 
5. Alabama 
6. Florida State 
7. Oregon 
8. Missouri 
9. Ole Miss 
10. Ohio State 
11. Arizona 
12. LSU 
13. Penn State 
14. Notre Dame 
15. Oklahoma 
16. Oklahoma State 
17. Tennessee 
18. Louisville 
19. Kansas State 
20. Clemson 
21. North Carolina State 
22. Iowa 
23. Kansas 
24. SMU 
25. West Virginia

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Keeping Alabama ahead of Georgia despite the results of bowl season is a defensible position.

The Bulldogs ran roughshod over Florida State in the Orange Bowl. The Seminoles 63-3 defeat was their most lopsided ever, and it prompted Georgia head coach Kirby Smart to call for changes to address the growing number of players opting out of the postseason.

As Smart alluded to, though, that was a much weaker FSU team than the one that finished up the regular season. Georgia was without some key stars as well, but it didn't compare to how much 'Noles head coach Mike Norvell had to adapt.

While the Bulldogs throughly dominated, the victory had a bit of an asterisk in terms of using the result for rankings purposes.

Alabama, meanwhile, fell short in the Rose Bowl, but the Crimson Tide pushed the eventual national champion to overtime. It wasn't an outcome that made you think much less of Saban's squad.

Throw in the head-to-head win over Georgia in the SEC title game, and a case could certainly be made for having the Tide hold strong at No. 4.