Ask Alabama football fans what the most important goal is for the 2025 Crimson Tide, and most would answer, “make the Playoffs.” The answer is not wrong. But getting into the Playoff field is not enough. It is not enough because of what Alabama has been and for what it intends to be again.
Until last season’s 9-4 season, Alabama Football had gone 16 seasons with double-digit wins. From Nick Saban’s 2008 team to the 2023 team, the Crimson Tide averages 12.4 wins per season. The six National Championships during that run were spectacular. No one can argue that for 16 Nick Saban seasons, Alabama was the most dominant program in college football.
That legacy is still in Tuscaloosa, but recent results show the Crimson Tide has lost its dominance. Alabama fans don’t like anyone who slams the Crimson Tide. Even so, several weeks ago, when Paul Finebaum used ‘diminished’ to describe the Alabama Football program, he was not wrong. Finebaum described the January gloom after the embarrassing loss to Michigan: “You limp into the off-season with just a miserable feeling that will not go away.”
The gloom has dissipated with renewed hope for the 2025 season. Alabama is months away from put up or shut up time. Until then, not even the most optimistic fans can know what the Crimson Tide will be in 2025.
There are some projections to consider. FanDuel has win-loss projections for every SEC team. Six teams have over-unders of 8.5 wins or more. Ole Miss and LSU are at 8.5 wins. Alabama joins Georgia, Texas, and Tennessee at 9.5 wins. With rosters still in flux, any win projection is suspect, but they provide a starting point to compare teams.
Measuring Strength of Schedule (SOS) is essential when comparing teams. An early, subjective look at SOS is provided by College Football News. CFN projects Alabama to have the No. 4 most difficult schedule among SEC teams. Among the teams projected at 9.5 wins, Texas has the SEC’s No. 8 most difficult schedule. The Georgia Bulldogs have an easy path with the SEC’s third-easiest schedule (No. 14). Even easier is Tennessee’s schedule at No. 15 among SEC teams.
Most Important 2025 Alabama Football Achievement
So, what is more important for Alabama Football than making the Playoffs? It is not to be diminished in the collective minds of the college football world. Of course, making the Playoffs is part of that. And a win or two in the Playoffs is probably necessary. Achieving a championship goal in a second Kalen DeBoer season is not an absolute must. What must happen is for the Alabama Crimson Tide to stop losing to teams it should beat, while also dominating teams when Alabama is the clear favorite. Start doing that again, and championships will follow.
Note: Alabama records provided by Sports Reference
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