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The question was simple: Is this the best Alabama team Nick Saban has coached in his decade in Tuscaloosa?

There's a good case to be made for "yes." Saban's team wrapped up the SEC West on Nov. 12 and all but assured itself a spot in the playoff with three games remaining (just don't tell Saban that). Barring a loss to Florida in Atlanta for the SEC title game, Alabama will surely go wire-to-wire as the No. 1 team. Historically speaking, the way in which Alabama blew through its schedule is rare.

The two-deep is once again full of NFL-caliber talent. CBS Sports' Rob Rang has five Alabama players going in the first round alone in his latest mock draft, four of which are defensive players. So much for the defensive attrition from last year's historically great squad.

However, the simple question -- is this Saban's best team ever? -- yielded a more nuanced answer from CBS Sports color commentator Gary Danielson.

"It could be," he said.

But then Danielson, speaking on a conference call Tuesday with longtime play-by-play announcer Verne Lundquist, who will call his final SEC championship on Saturday, offered an important qualifier.

"But in my 11 years [of calling games on CBS], this is the weakest SEC."

Therein lies the undeniable dichotomy between Alabama and the rest of the conference. Alabama is dominant -- historically so, per Football Outsiders -- but the SEC also isn't as strong as it has been in other years. That can also be true without it affecting the previous statement. Earlier this season, CBS Sports' Jon Solomon noted the East was statistically on par with a Group of Five division.


This clear separation is not unlike the dichotomy between Alabama and the rest of college football this season: There's the Crimson Tide, one of two undefeated teams remaining out of 128 Football Bowl Subdivision counterparts -- the other is Western Michigan -- and then there's everyone else.

It's impossible -- or, at the very least, time consuming -- to dissect exactly why every other team in the SEC is down, but there's a straight-forward explanation as to why Alabama is trending so far up. Yes, Saban is an all-time great coach and he has a staff of bright minds. However, it always boils down to talent at the college level, and Alabama is the richest of the rich. Danielson called Alabama a "destination" for 4-and-5-star prospects.

The Tide have the highest roster ratio of blue-chip talent, according to SB Nation's recruiting guru, Bud Elliott. They've also landed the No. 1 recruiting class each year since 2011, according to 247Sports' Composite rankings. And Alabama is lapping the recruiting field again for 2017.

There is depth on depth on depth.

In Danielson's mind, the best example of this came in Alabama's 30-12 win over Auburn in the Iron Bowl when cornerback Tony Brown was ejected for targeting. "Tony Brown got ejected then [cornerback Marlon] Humphrey went out with an injury. And Eddie Jackson had broken his leg a few games earlier [vs. Texas A&M]. So with sarcasm I said 'Oh well, bring another 5-star into the game.'

"They're able to sell this pitch where they'll teach you how to be an NFL player, and you'll line up next to another NFL player. They'll say 'Your opponent can't afford to double team you because they can't let the guy next to you run free.'

"And after all of that, if it doesn't work out, they'll let you go because they'll sign another 5-star player.'"

That contributes to another important piece of the Alabama dynasty puzzle. It's not just talent -- it's edge. That's a reflection of Saban's intense coaching style.

"I remember when Michigan and Ohio State were recruiting players under Bo [Schembechler] and Woody [Hayes]," Danielson said. "In those days, they would offer what we would consider today to be a 5-star player. The player would say 'You already have a bunch of players at my position, maybe I should go to, say, Purdue so I can actually play,' and Woody and Bo would say 'Yeah maybe you should.' The ones who accepted the challenge were the ones they wanted. And the ones who didn't, they would go get beat."

"That's the process that happens at Alabama. The ones who aren't afraid to compete are the ones Alabama wants."

So while programs across college football, even traditional blue bloods, experience their ups and downs, Alabama keeps producing at a high level. In fact, it's become stronger.

Saban won his first national title with the Tide in 2009-10, his third season. Then he won three more in 2011, 2012 and 2015 -- his fifth, sixth and ninth years. If Saban wins another national title, four will have come in the last six years. That averages out to one out of every two years total.

The list of challengers this year is small, but it is possible to beat Alabama. But you have to have the individual talent to match up. No one in the SEC had what it took.

"I don't think any team is unbeatable," Danielson said. "They [Alabama] don't have the best secondary. Their quarterback [freshman Jalen Hurts] is dynamic, but he's not the best thrower. They don't have the best pass protection.

"But if you have a weakness, they'll exploit it. They're like a Bill Belichick team. They'll come out one game and pound you with the run if you're bad there. Then they'll go five-wide the next week. If you're going to beat them, you need an Ohio State-type team -- the Ezekiel Elliotts, the Joey Bosas. You can't beat them if you don't have a matchup of future NFL pros."

Does any team have that? Clemson, which played Alabama for the national championship a season ago, does. Ohio State, if it gets into the playoff as a non-conference champion, does. There might be one more, but that's about it.

2016 has been Alabama's world. The rest of college football just happens to be in it. Until someone shows up the Tide, it will continue to be that way. The gap between Alabama and the rest of college football -- within the SEC and elsewhere -- is as big as it's ever been.