A day after Paul Finebaum declared this year might be Nick Saban’s best coaching season, the SEC Network analyst doubled down and believes this Alabama team is “capable of winning a national championship.”

Alabama (8-1, 6-0 SEC, No. 8 CFP) dispatched LSU 42-28 on Saturday night to take an inside track on the SEC West. Finebaum, meanwhile, believes the Crimson Tide is ready for the big game.

“There’s no question this team is capable of winning a national championship,” Finebaum told “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning” on Monday. “I think before the season I thought they were perhaps a Playoff team. But Saturday night put the exclamation point on that project. They’re capable. The rest of it is pretty self-evident,” Finebaum said. “They played brilliantly, and they did it at the right time. I think Saban said afterwards about it being a complete game. They’ve always been capable of that. They just haven’t done it.”

Jalen Milroe rushed for 155 yards and four touchdowns and passed for another 219 yards to lead No. 8 Alabama to a win over No. 13 LSU. Finebaum, who appeared on “SportsCenter” on Sunday, said the difference between the Crimson Tide team which took the field against the Tigers on Saturday night vs. the team that lost to the Longhorns is significant.

“Since that moment where Alabama was really humiliated down the stretch against Texas, Nick Saban has coached his finest season, I think, in his entire career,” Finebaum said. “It has been absolutely virtuoso. It’s been brilliant. He has dialed up all the right moves, especially in the second half. His offense has, at times, struggled in the first half.

“But, Jalen Milroe, and by the way, we all remember he was benched for the third game of the year. Remember Tyler Buchner? That’s going to be a trivia question if Alabama wins the national championship, who started that second game? We all know it’s all about the defense. Nick Saban, we know he masterminds that, and kudos to him. It’s been absolutely amazing to watch.”

Finebaum’s take has been a bit of an evolution this season. Even after a 26-20 win over Texas A&M in College Station earlier this year, he talked about trust issues with the Crimson Tide. Still, he like the Tide against the Vols.

Alabama on Saturday moved one step closer to winning the SEC West. The Tide needs Ole Miss to lose again or to beat either Kentucky or Auburn.

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.