One minute, Dabo Swinney tells ESPN the SEC ain't all that and a bag of Golden Flakes. Not as deep as it used to be, he said. Not as taxing on Alabama as you think. Next thing you know, the SEC releases its 2020 schedule. It's a muscular reply that screams, "Hold my Dr Pepper." Who said fall camp wasn't fun? That 2020 schedule gives the ACC, the Big Ten, the Big 12 and the Pac 12 one less pebble to toss at their superiors in the SEC. The Lesser 4 of the Power 5 just watched G

Nick Saban is very good at winning football games. He's not very good at losing them, which is understandable because he hasn't had much practice. Until the evening of Jan. 7, 2019, until the shock and awe of Clemson 44, Alabama 16, Saban had no experience as the Crimson Tide CEO at losing a football game by four touchdowns. Zip. Zilch. Zero. It wasn't hard to understand what happened that night. It wasn't luck or a fluke. Clemson was the better football team. On the field. O

If you don't think Alabama lives in Clemson's head, despite the mind-boggling events of Jan. 7, 2019, think again. The Tigers have removed all doubt by putting their biggest fear in writing. Dabo Swinney's fat new contract, making him the highest-paid coach in college football by total volume at $93 million over 10 years, contains an Alabama clause. To be precise, it's an "Alabama enhancement" that increases his standard buyout by 50 percent if his alma mater brings him home