Can No. 2 Alabama Run the Table in the SEC?

The Crimson Tide is 8-0 in the SEC, and it has a relatively manageable schedule moving forward.

It has been a stellar season for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Can it have a storybook ending?

The Crimson Tide (18-2, 8-0 SEC) is ironically in a very similar spot to where it was halfway through conference play in 2020-21. That season, Alabama was 9-0 in the SEC heading into a matchup with the Oklahoma Sooners in the SEC / Big 12 Challenge.

That season, the Crimson Tide won the SEC regular season and tournament championships.

This year, it is eerily familiar. Alabama is 8-0 in conference play with a trip to Norman, Okla. looming.

It won't be an easy win for Crimson Tide. Despite the Sooners' struggles, Alabama will have to navigate yet another hostile environment. The Lloyd Noble Center and its fans will be ready for second-ranked Alabama — even if the home team hasn't been playing its best.

But the game in Norman on Saturday afternoon doesn't have a real impact on the Crimson Tide's season outlook. A loss would hurt, but it wouldn't affect Alabama's SEC title race chances.

Of the 10 conference games remaining, the Crimson Tide is likely to be favored in nine of them.

The two contests that stand out are trips to Auburn and Knoxville.

The question is — does Alabama need to win out to secure Nate Oats' second SEC regular season championship?

At this point in the season, it seems like the SEC is a two-man race between the Crimson Tide and Tennessee. Texas A&M is right behind — but the Aggies are still a little unproven.

With the Volunteers' loss to Kentucky on Jan. 14, Alabama controls its own destiny. The Crimson Tide will meet Tennessee on Feb. 15 at Thompson-Boling Arena in a game that may decide the No. 1 seed for the SEC tournament.

More likely than not, Alabama will be an underdog in that game. If the Crimson Tide loses, is the dream dead?

Not necessarily.

The Volunteers have a few challenges down the stretch. Tennessee still has to play in Gainesville against a surging Florida team, at Kentucky, at Texas A&M and at Auburn to end the regular season.

Even if Alabama was to drop its game against the Volunteers, it would still win the conference if Tennessee was to drop another game down the stretch.

But a loss in Knoxville would increase the pressure on the Crimson Tide as well.

Like the Volunteers, Alabama still has the visit to Neville Arena on the calendar — a game that no team looks forward to. Auburn has probably the toughest home court advantage in the sport and it has been an extremely tough place to win for the Crimson Tide over the years.

The good news? It looks like Alabama is the much better team this season. However, if Crimson Tide fans found out that it had to win on the road against the Tigers to win the SEC — I'm not sure they would like their chances.

It isn't Bruce Pearl's most talented team, but they're still a major threat to anyone in the conference — especially in "The Jungle."

There will be plenty of talk surrounding Alabama and Tennessee — and Texas A&M — the rest of the season. 

The SEC is up for grabs, and guess what? It will all be settled on the hardwood over the next 36 days.

The Crimson Tide is in a great spot, and there is no reason to believe it will fail to win at Tennessee, Auburn and Texas A&M. After all, Alabama is 6-0 on the road this season including double-digit wins at No. 3 Houston, Arkansas and Missouri.

Can the Crimson Tide go a perfect 18-0 in the SEC? Whew. We'll see.

See Also:

Easy Draw? No such thing in 2023 SEC Tournament: All Things CW

No. 2 Alabama Can Grow From Hard-Fought, Gritty Win Over Mississippi State

Give Credit to the Man Who Aimed to Make Alabama a Basketball School: All Things CW