Spring practice has come and gone, and the spring Transfer Portal window is closed. Now, we enter the doldrums of the long summer push before the start of the 2025 season.
Alabama football is itching to get back on the field and return to a standard. The Tide finished a disappointing 9-4 a season ago and missed the first 12-team College Football Playoff. Coming out of spring, Kalen DeBoer and his team have a lot of momentum.
DeBoer navigated the spring portal window without losing a single player. Buy-in is at an all-time high in Tuscaloosa. DeBoer has his roster and his coaching staff, with the addition of Ryan Grubb as the offensive coordinator. Things are set up nicely for the Crimson Tide to be a legitimate contender once again in 2025.
It will likely all come down to QB play. If Ty Simpson - or Austin Mack/Keelon Russell - can play above-average football, then Alabama will be one of the best teams in the nation and a legitimate threat to win the National Championship.
We're still over 100 days until kickoff in Tallahassee to open the season, but now is as good a time as any to make some game-by-game predictions on how the Crimson Tide's 2025 regular season might play out.
Predictions for every game of Alabama football's 2025 regular season
1. at Florida State
Alabama will open the season on the road in Tallahassee against Florida State. The Seminoles are coming off a 2-10 season, but will have plenty of motivation and lots to prove when the Tide comes to Doak-Campbell in late August.
This will be the first career start for whoever is under center for the Crimson Tide. Making your first career start on the road isn't ideal, but it's the reality of the situation. There could be some early growing pains offensively, but Alabama's defense should be swarming from the first whistle. The 'Noles are breaking in a ton of new players on both sides of the ball.
Alabama's defensive continuity will win the day on the road.
Pick: Alabama 27, Florida State 13
2. vs. UL Monroe
Week two will give DeBoer and Alabama a chance to work out the kinks from the season opener in Tallahassee. The Florida State game will be all about getting out of there with a victory. UL Monroe will be all about improvement and working out any issues before playing Wisconsin and then Georgia in Athens.
Bryant Vincent is a quality football coach and will have his team well prepared. It will not be enough to overcome the massive talent disparity.
Pick: Alabama 49, UL Monroe 7
3. vs. Wisconsin
Alabama dominated Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium a year ago. The Badgers are making the return trip to Tuscaloosa this season, and while Luke Fickell's team should be improved from where they were in 2024, the gap between these two teams will remain significant, especially at Bryant-Denny.
Pick: Alabama 41, Wisconsin 14
4. at Georgia
This is a pivotal game for Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs. Alabama has been a consistent thorn in his side since he left Tuscaloosa for Athens. Smart is just 1-6 against Alabama as Georgia's head coach. He has done everything with the Bulldogs, winning two national titles. He just hasn't figured out how to consistently beat Alabama.
The popular pick for this game will be Georgia to win at home. It's a fair pick. Beating the Bulldogs in Sanford Stadium is no easy task. But I have serious doubts about Georgia, particularly at QB this season.
I think Alabama has the better team top-to-bottom and will continue to be a pebble in Smart's shoe. Alabama pulls out a big win between the hedges and announces itself as the top contender for the national title.
Pick: Alabama 27, Georgia 20
5. vs. Vanderbilt
Coming off the emotionally charged win over Georgia at home last season, Alabama fell asleep at the wheel and suffered an embarrassing loss to Vanderbilt in Nashville. I would not expect lightning to strike twice for the 'Dores, especially in Bryant-Denny.
Vanderbilt will have DeBoer, the coaching staff, and the players' full attention this year. This won't necessarily be an easy game as Vandy returns a lot of talent, including QB Diego Pavia, who tore the Tide apart last year.
Kane Wommack's defense took last season personally. They rally together and shut the Commodores down.
Pick: Alabama 35, Vanderbilt 10
6. at Missouri
This certainly could be a trap game for Alabama, especially if they enter 5-0 coming off wins at Georgia and a revenge win over Vanderbilt. The Tide dominated the Tigers last season in Tuscaloosa, 34-0.
This game won't be as easy in Columbia, but Missouri has a lot of questions to answer after losing Brady Cook and Luther Burden. Eli Drinkwitz is a good coach and his team will still be competitive, but upsetting Alabama is a bridge too far.
Pick: Alabama 40, Missouri 24
7. vs. Tennessee
This will be another revenge opportunity for Alabama, and I expect DeBoer and company to take full advantage of it. Following the transfer of Nico Iamaleava, I think there's legitimate cause for concern in Knoxville. They have legitimate question marks at QB, OL, and WR.
I don't believe the dip will be long in Knoxville as Josh Heupel is a quality ball coach, but I do expect 2025 to be a bit of a transition year for Tennessee. Alabama will take full advantage with a beatdown in Tuscaloosa.
Pick: Alabama 31, Tennessee 7
8. at South Carolina
This feels like an obvious place for a slip-up. Coming into the game at 7-0 and playing a fifth consecutive game and with a bye-week right behind it, the Tide's matchup against South Carolina in Columbia will be a difficult task.
South Carolina looks like a legitimate SEC contender heading into 2025. They return one of the nation's best QBs in LaNorris Sellers. He has plenty of help at the skill positions and led by Dylan Stewart, the Gamecocks will have a good defense.
Alabama battles late, but ultimately drops their first game of the season at Williams-Brice.
Pick: South Carolina 27, Alabama 24
9. vs. LSU
As is usually the case when Alabama faces off against LSU, this game will likely have massive SEC and playoff implications. Brian Kelly has done a remarkable job filling holes on the LSU roster in the Transfer Portal, and the Tigers have the luxury of a returning, experienced QB in Garrett Nussmeier.
LSU will be motivated to avenge a blowout defeat at the hands of Alabama in Baton Rouge last season. They'll be thankful the boogeyman (Jalen Milroe) won't be taking snaps for Alabama.
Wommack's defensive scheme will once again befuddle Nussmeier, though, and Alabama will get the better of LSU once again.
Pick: Alabama 31, LSU 21
10. vs. Oklahoma
I expect Oklahoma to be one of the most improved teams in college football this season. Brent Venables added key pieces in the Transfer Portal, none more important than QB John Mateer from Washington State, who will serve as a significant upgrade over Jackson Arnold.
The most disappointing result of the 2024 season for Alabama was the November loss in Norman. The Crimson Tide looked ill-prepared for the game and got dominated by a Sooners squad that ultimately finished below .500. It was an unacceptable performance from the coaching staff and the players.
That loss will serve as extra motivation for the rematch in Tuscaloosa as Alabama completes a regular season sweep of the teams it lost to a year ago.
Pick: Alabama 34, Oklahoma 24
11. vs. Eastern Illinois
After playing nine of their first 10 games against Power-4 competition, the late November matchup against Eastern Illinois will be a welcome break before the Iron Bowl. This will be the usual November cupcake game where Alabama dominates and a lot of young players get the opportunity to showcase themselves.
Pick: Alabama 56, Eastern Illinois 0
12. at Auburn
Alabama made Auburn fear the thumb last season, winning its fifth consecutive Iron Bowl. It will look to get started on the other hand in 2025.
Auburn figures to be much improved in 2025, though a lot of eggs are being placed in the Jackson Arnold basket, with Hugh Freeze and company believing they can pull out the Arnold who beat Alabama last season on a consistent basis throughout the season.
The Tigers should break their bowl drought, and playing in Jordan-Hare is never easy for the Crimson Tide, regardless of the relative quality of both teams. But Alabama still has the better roster and will walk out of Auburn with their 11th victory, clinching a spot in the SEC Championship Game and the College Football Playoff.
Pick: Alabama 33, Auburn 24
Record: 11-1 (7-1)
An 11-1 season would be massive for DeBoer and put him in the good graces of Alabama football fans, regardless of what transpired in the postseason. It would be good enough to place the Tide in the SEC Championship Game, with a College Football Playoff berth assured regardless of what happened in Atlanta.
Winning the SEC and being 12-1 would probably be good enough to land the Tide the No. 1 overall seed.