Could the best NCAA team beat the worst NFL team?

Mason Berk, staff writer|March 19, 2021

Photo used with permission from Google Commons

Jacksonville Jaguars fans watch their team’s 1-15 season on TIAA Bank Field.

This year the University of Alabama trounced all of their opponents on the way to their sixth national championship since 2009. The Jacksonville Jaguars went 1-15 this year and fired multiple coaches and executives. Although these records are extremely lopsided, in a head-to-head contest, the Jaguars would still win by at least 20 points. Alabama had nine players on the All-SEC first team with the next best teams (Florida, Georgia, Missouri) only having three players each. In the pro bowl, the Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t have a single pro bowler.

Unfortunately for Alabama, the Jaguars have a lot of players who were all-conference in college and have continued to develop as they played through the NFL. Notable All-SEC players on the Jaguars include K’Lavon Chaisson, Josh Allen, DJ Chark, CJ Henderson, Josh Lambo and Cam Robinson.

The Jaguars have a major talent advantage but the Crimson Tide have a coaching advantage. Head coach Nick Saban has won seven national championships and six with Alabama, as well as being with the program for 14 years. The Jaguars recently hired former college coach Urban Meyer, who has three national championships but zero in the NFL. Meyer has yet to coach a single practice or game in the NFL and he is yet to get adjusted, which gives the coaching edge to Saban.


Physically Jacksonville outmatches Alabama with the average age of the Jaguars being over 24 and the average age of Alabama being about 20. The average height and weight of a wide receiver on Jacksonville is six foot two inches and 200.4 pounds. The average height and weight of a wide receiver on Alabama is six foot and 185.1 pounds. Sophomore Max Mirsky said, “I think the Jags would win by at least 20 points because all the players are faster, stronger and more skilled. The worst player on the team was still a superstar in college and the skill gap from the NCAA to the NFL is massive and only a few players can make the leap even if they are on Alabama.”

247 Sports predicts in their mock draft that Alabama will have seven first-round draft picks or almost 22 percent of all first round picks. In 2012 Alabama had four first round picks, which was tied for the most by any Alabama team in the Saban era. Out of the four selected players, there were only two pro bowl appearances combined and zero all-pro selections. Even the best players in the nation for Alabama won’t transfer to the NFL.

In all likelihood this matchup would never happen because of injuries and money. The Jaguars have such a tremendous physical advantage that in the first half Alabama would probably have multiple injuries, which is not worth it for an exhibition game. The Tide gets paid almost $33 million for a season and any injuries to key players would put this into jeopardy.