By Fitzgerald Cecilio

University of South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier is convinced that Nick Saban's powerhouse Alabama squad can compete in the NFL and beat several of its teams.

"Alabama, gosh, they look like they could beat a couple of those NFL teams that I've watched on Sundays," Spurrier told the "The Dan Patrick Show." "I think a lot of the oddsmakers out there that usually know what's going on, I'd guess Alabama would be favored by a little bit."

Spurrier's statement came before No. 1 Alabama, aiming to win its third national title in five seasons under Saban, clashes with No. 5 LSU Saturday at Tiger Stadium.

However, Las Vegas oddsmaker RJ Bell of Pregame.com said the Crimson Tide would be a 24-point underdog against the 1-6 Jacksonville Jaguars on a neutral field.

Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, who coached the University of Southern California for nine seasons, scoffed at Spurrier's declaration, saying a college football team cannot compete in the same level as an NFL squad.

"The falsehood is to think that could ever take place. It isn't even close," Carroll said. "Alabama has a great team, and Nick (Saban) is a fantastic coach. But when you match up the interior lines against a regular NFL team, on either side of the ball, it wouldn't even be close."

Carroll, Saban and Spurrier and Saban have won national titles as college coaches and all spent time as NFL head coaches. Saban won a national title at LSU (2003) and two with Alabama (2009, 2011), and was coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2005 and 2006, where he went 15-17.

Spurrier's Florida Gators won the national championship in 1996, and he coached the Washington Redskins in 2002 and 2003, where he was 12-20.

Carroll, 18-22 in Seattle, guided USC to national titles in 2003 and 2004. The 2004 title since has been vacated because of NCAA violations.

Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, who was part of Saban's 2009 championship team at Alabama, expressed his thoughts on the subject.

"I don't know if they could compete with an NFL team, but they're more disciplined than most NFL football teams," Dareus said. "They'd stick in a game with a few teams. They're just coached real well."

 

 

Steve Spurrier Convinced Alabama Able to Beat a Few NFL Teams