The Alabama Crimson Tide is still trying to get back to the same level of domination it experienced under Nick Saban now that the GOAT has hung up the whistle — we think — for good.  However, the memories of some of his teams are very much in the equation.

Winning six national titles during his incredible stint in Tuscaloosa, Saban left quite a pair of shoes to fill. It’s going to take some time before there is any real chance of those shoes being filled.

While reflecting on some of Saban’s best teams, though, it’s tough to separate one from the other.

Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated attempted to do just that this week with a list of the top-25 college football teams of the last 25 years, and to the surprise of absolutely no one, five Crimson Tide squads cracked the list.

It’s even less surprising to see the highest-rated team being the undefeated 2020 Covid squad, which had a Heisman winner in wide receiver DeVonta Smith, and a perfect record against an All-SEC schedule.

The 2020 team was ranked No. 3 overall behind the 2001 Miami Hurricanes and 2019 LSU Tigers, but if they were to face off against either, they would certainly have a shot.

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Ironically, given that the highest rated was Saban’s last title, the only other Alabama team featured in the top ten was his first at Alabama in the 2009 edition.

It’s hard to believe now, but Mark Ingram was the first Heisman winner in Alabama history. Since then, three more have joined him — and that season ended with the Tide rolling to a Rose Bowl win and their first national title since 1992.

The 2009 Tide ranked No. 8 on the list.

Coming in at No. 14 and No. 15, fittingly right next to each other, were Saban’s only two teams to win consecutive titles, with 2012 at No. 14 and 2011 at No. 15.

Both quarterbacked by AJ McCarron, Alabama avenged their only loss against LSU in 2011 by defeating them in the title game, and would rebound from the shocker against the Johnny Manziel-led Texas A&M team to win the SEC title game over Georgia and destroy Notre Dame in the national title.

Saban snuck in one more edition of his title teams at No. 25 on the list with the 2015 team quarterbacked by Jake Coker and carried by Heisman winner Derrick Henry on offense. Widely considered to be Saban’s greatest defense, Alabama defeated Clemson in the title game in the first edition of what proved to be the college football rivalry of 2010.

The only title team for Saban that did not make it was the 2017 team, which, of course, had the most iconic play in the history of the dynasty with 2nd and 26 against Georgia. Because that team lost the Iron Bowl and did not make the SEC title game, though, they needed help to get into the playoff.

Of course, once they got there, they never looked back.