Alabama endured a bit of a disappointing year for the first season after Nick Saban. Kalen DeBoer went 9-4 and missed the college football playoffs entirely, a surprise given their success rate historically and how good DeBoer was at Washington beforehand. Still, a nightmare (of sorts) played out.
In 2025, that might not be the case. DeBoer has his feet under him and should be better with more recruits and more continuity. However, what if that's still not enough to win the SEC? What if the Crimson Tide go almost undefeated but still don't get into the championship game? That's what CBS Sports' Brad Crawford is predicting.
"A best-case scenario could unfold for Alabama this fall if its only loss comes against LSU in November. In that situation, the Tigers would win the head-to-head tiebreaker and reach the SEC Championship Game, while the Crimson Tide would still lock in a CFP berth with extra time to rest and prepare," Crawford said. This would be exactly what Ohio State did last season after losing a key game and missing the championship game before winning the CFP.
"No coach in college football has a better career winning percentage against ranked opponents than Kalen DeBoer, and he's poised to flex that this fall. Year 1 in Tuscaloosa was a bump in the road for a proven program leader who now enters 2025 with offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb back by his side and one of the league's deepest defenses," Crawford added.
Alabama should be better in 2025, but it might not be SEC-championship worthy. What's perhaps more shocking is that it might help them in their quest to return to CFB glory.