After going just 9-4 in 2024, Alabama earned its lowest placement in the Associated Press’ 2025 preseason college football rankings since 2008. Entering Kalen DeBoer’s second year at the helm, the Crimson Tide will begin the year at No. 8, making them the third-highest-ranked team in the SEC.
DeBoer’s first season would have been seen as a success at most programs, but the standard within Alabama football is substantially higher. After a promising start, the Crimson Tide ended the year on a 5-5 stretch that included bad-looking upset losses to Vanderbilt, Oklahoma and Michigan. They would miss the College Football Playoffs for just the third time since its inception in 2014, a disappointing result considering the expanded 12-team field.
As DeBoer settles into year two, he will have to do so by replacing two-year starting quarterback Jalen Milroe. The positional battle headlined most of Alabama’s offseason, with longtime backup Ty Simpson ultimately winning the job. Simpson is not the typical big-name star that the Tide typically have under center, but his familiarity with the system and dedication to the program have already won the fan base over.
While Milroe left, Alabama still returns an elite offensive skill group, led by star wideout Ryan Williams and senior running back Jam Miller. After just one year of college football, Williams is already arguably the best receiver in the SEC. First-team All-American center Parker Brailsford also leads a premier offensive line to round out one of the best offenses in the country.
There are a lot of questions surrounding the 2025 Alabama football team, much more than usual. The unknowns take the shock out of the team’s low preseason college football ranking, while forcing the Crimson Tide into an unfamiliar position where they must silence doubters.
Alabama football will have…
Source link : https://clutchpoints.com/ncaa-football/why-alabama-football-finish-better-first-ap-top-25-poll-ranking
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Publish date : 2025-08-15 22:12:00
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