Alabama’s College Football Playoff dreams for this season may have crumbled under the weight of disappointment, but there’s still hope on the horizon for the Crimson Tide. Not in the 2024 season, but in the 2025 season—specifically, the 2025 College Football Playoff.
Colin Gay of the Tuscaloosa News predicts that the Kalen DeBoer-led Alabama Crimson Tide will secure a spot in the 2025 College Football Playoff. However, his outlook comes with a notable caveat.
“Alabama will finish Year 2 of the DeBoer era in the College Football Playoff, earning an at-large bid with a 10-2 regular-season record,” Gay writes, offering a way-too-early forecast for the Crimson Tide.
While this is the good news—or rather, the optimistic prediction—there’s a less favorable side. According to Gay, “Alabama will advance past the first round of the CFP and lose in the quarterfinal.”
Reaching the quarterfinals in 2025 would still mark a significant step forward for DeBoer and his staff after being excluded from the playoff this season. But to achieve this, DeBoer will need to assemble a roster capable of executing his explosive playstyle, a task made easier by Alabama’s continued strength in recruiting.
One key addition Gay highlights is Nikhai Hill-Green, a veteran linebacker from Colorado. “Hill-Green’s presence as a former All-Big 12 linebacker will be invaluable, placing him among the team’s tackling leaders and showcasing his ball-hawking skills with multiple pass deflections and at least one interception,” Gay notes.
Another standout prediction revolves around Williams, who Gay believes will make a strong case for Alabama’s first Biletnikoff Award since DeVonta Smith in 2020. Gay also envisions Williams excelling as a receiver and becoming the first Crimson Tide player since Caleb Downs in 2023 to return a punt for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, speculation is already brewing over who will replace Jalen Milroe as Alabama’s QB1, adding intrigue to Gay’s early projections. With critical roster decisions ahead, DeBoer’s choices will play a pivotal role in shaping the program’s trajectory in the coming years.