After 17 years, Nick Saban has stepped away from coaching at Alabama, marking the end of an era for the Crimson Tide. Under Saban's leadership, Alabama consistently contended for national championships, winning the title six times and qualifying for the College Football Playoff on six occasions. They also secured the SEC title 10 times and claimed the conference championship eight times. With a remarkable record of 183-25, Alabama never experienced a losing season during Saban's tenure which produced an impressive streak of 16 consecutive seasons with double-digit wins. Now, the reins of the program pass to Kalen DeBoer, formerly the head coach at Washington, where he led the team to their first-ever College Football Playoff finals appearance last season. Despite Saban's departure, Alabama's roster remains stocked with talent, maintaining high expectations. Oddsmakers have set their win total projection at 9.5 for the upcoming College Football betting season.
College Football Season Wins Odds
Alabama Crimson Tide 2024-25 Regular Season Win Total Odds
Alabama Over 9.5 Wins +113
Alabama Under 9.5 Wins -133
A Case for the Over: While it’s darn near close to impossible to pick right back up where the program left off a season ago with a new regime in place, Bama picked a good one in DeBoer in an attempt to do so with the head coach experiencing success at all of his previous stops. Before jumping into division I competition, DeBoer cut his teeth in Sioux Falls, SD where he led the Cougars to a 67-3 overall record and won the NAIA national title three times. From there, he took over the program at Fresno State and led the Bulldogs to a 9-3 record two years removed from the team amassing 4-8 and 3-3 records in its COVID-shortened campaign. Then it was on to Seattle where the Huskies won 25 of 28 games under his watch and partook in its first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff title game. That amounts to an impressive 104-12 record in his 8.5 years as a head coach at the collegiate level! Playing in the rough and tumble SEC that’s now expanded to 16 teams with the additions of Texas and Oklahoma, the Crimson Tide look to be in good hands moving forward with a head coach and staff that knows how to win football games.
A Case for the Under: Transitioning to new philosophies and strategies on offense and defense is always challenging. Despite Alabama's roster retaining top-tier talent, it may take time for both returning players and newcomers to fully grasp the coaching staff's new directives. Complicating matters, several players opted to leave Tuscaloosa once Saban announced his retirement. Caleb Downs' transfer to Ohio State is particularly impactful for Alabama's secondary, given his standout performance last season with 107 tackles and two interceptions as a freshman. In the highly competitive SEC, Alabama faces little time to adapt to the coaching staff's new approach before a tough schedule begins. Potential losses could accumulate before the team fully adjusts. Although Alabama remains a formidable team with a strong chance to qualify for the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, they must quickly gel to position themselves effectively. However, doubts linger whether the current roster can achieve this goal.
2024-25 Alabama Crimson Tide Schedule
| DATE |
OPPONENT |
| Aug 31 |
vs. WKU |
| Sep 7 |
vs. USF |
| Sep 14 |
at Wisconsin |
| Sep 21 |
OFF |
| Sep 28 |
vs. Georgia |
| Oct 5 |
at Vanderbilt |
| Oct 12 |
vs. South Carolina |
| Oct 19 |
at Tennessee |
| Oct 26 |
vs. Missouri |
| Nov 2 |
OFF |
| Nov 9 |
at LSU |
| Nov 16 |
vs. Mercer |
| Nov 23 |
at Oklahoma |
| Nov 30 |
vs. Auburn |
DeBoer's previous coaching stints have consistently featured high-powered offenses. I anticipate a similar trend in his first season at Tuscaloosa, benefiting from having one of the nation's top quarterbacks in Jalen Milroe. Milroe, who threw for 2,834 yards and a 23:6 TD/INT ratio last season while also rushing for 531 yards and 12 touchdowns, enters the 2024 college football betting season as a leading contender for the Heisman Trophy +1100. While plenty of deep shots will be attempted since it’s an integral part of DeBoer’s offensive DNA, the running game is likely to play a role with the tandem of Jam Miller and Justice Haynes serving as the primary ball carriers. However, historically, DeBoer's defenses have not matched the potency of his offenses, a trend likely to continue this season at Alabama. Consequently, the team may find itself in several high-scoring contests, making it challenging to consistently come out on the right side of the scoreboard. Alabama faces tough road games against Wisconsin, Tennessee, LSU, and Oklahoma, along with home matchups against Georgia, Missouri, and Auburn. While I expect Bama to win their fair share of games and qualify for the expanded CFP, I don’t envision the Crimson Tide logging a double-digit win tally in the first go-round of the new coaching staff.
College Football Win Total Prediction: Alabama Crimson Tide Under 9.5 Wins
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