Why Alabama football’s path to the playoff is one of the toughest in the country

Sep 28, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer talks to offensive lineman Jaeden Roberts (77) during a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama defeated Georgia 41-34. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

Alabama football fans are hoping the Kalen DeBoer era will turn out like most television sitcoms and improve after the first season.

The Crimson Tide missed the College Football Playoff last season after it expanded to 12 teams, finishing the season ranked outside the top 10.

This year, Alabama’s path to the playoff is shaping up to be one of the toughest in college football and here is why:

Strength of Schedule

ESPN ranked Alabama’s strength of schedule 11th in the nation.

The Crimson Tide will face seven teams that are currently ranked in the top 25 of ESPN’s post-spring SP+ rankings.

Returning production

ESPN also has five of Alabama’s 2025 opponents, Auburn, LSU, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt and Wisconsin, ranked in the top 25 for overall returning production.

Also, South Carolina is ranked 33rd in returning offensive production with a big year expected from quarterback LaNorris Sellers, and Missouri is 10th in returning defensive production.

For reference, Alabama sits 29th overall in returning production while being ranked 59th in returning offensive production and 13th in returning defensive production.

Season opener versus new and improved FSU?

Instead of hosting a Conference-USA team like the last two years, Alabama will kick off the season in Tallahassee. Playing Florida State in week one could be dangerous.

Florida State went 2-10 in the 2024 season, but the Seminoles are not the same ball team. Since it’s a week one game, there’s no way for Alabama to watch film of what the Seminoles will look like with their newest additions.

Quarterback Thomas Castellanos comes over from Boston College, where he was coached by former Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien in 2024.

In his helmet, Castellanos will hear the voice of new Florida State offensive coordinator and play caller, Gus Malzahn, a coach that beat the Crimson Tide on multiple occasions during his tenure as Auburn’s head coach.

Bye weeks

The timing of bye weeks are not in favor of the Crimson Tide. Alabama’s byes hit on Sept. 20 and Nov. 1 this season.

Alabama’s opponents in the following weeks are Georgia and LSU respectively, two teams that will also be fresh off a bye week.

This means Alabama will be the only team in the SEC that theoretically will have their bye weeks negated in terms of being the fresher team than the opponent the following week. Perhaps this is not a huge deal, but there’s more potential controversy related to bye weeks.

Alabama will visit Missouri on Oct. 11 and host Oklahoma on Nov. 15. Those two teams have one thing in common.

Missouri and Oklahoma each have bye weeks the week before their respective meeting with Alabama, meaning they will have an extra week to rest and prepare for the Crimson Tide.

Alabama will host Vanderbilt on Oct. 4, and Missouri will be on a bye. Oklahoma’s bye hits on Nov. 8, the week of the heavyweight clash between Alabama and LSU in Tuscaloosa.

DeBoer’s first Iron Bowl in Jordan-Hare 

It will be DeBoer’s first Iron Bowl as the visitor in Jordan-Hare Stadium, a structure that’s been home to some wild moments like the “Kick Six” and “4th and 31” for example.

Auburn brought in some talented players through the transfer portal, including quarterback Jackson Arnold from Oklahoma. The former Sooner ran for 131 yards in the 24-3 upset victory over the Crimson Tide in 2024.

Arnold will have highly talented wide receivers like Cam Coleman and Georgia Tech transfer Eric Singleton Jr.

Odds are the magic on the plains will be in high gear.

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