No matter whether the 16-team playoff system has a 4-4-2-2-1 or a 5+11 format, Alabama will thrive. It almost seemed like the world ended when Alabama had three losses a year ago, and despite that, they were still so close to making the 12-team field.
Three losses in a season have been a rarity over nearly the last two decades and will continue to be under Kalen DeBoer. Even if the Tide have what is considered a very down year in Tuscaloosa, and have three losses in the upcoming system, that won't necessarily eliminate them from playoff contention. If you look at 2024, the quality of the three losses hurt Alabama's chances of making the playoff field more than the number of losses.
We will see continued debates between the conferences of what format works the best, as well as the Big 10 pushing for the SEC to switch to a nine-game conference schedule, but no matter what happens with this, rest assured Tide fans, it's still our world.
The opinion being pushed by the media and other conference fan bases is that the SEC is down and the Big Ten has taken over as the big dogs of the college football world. As rare as it has been for the SEC not to be part of a football national championship over the last two seasons, Alabama not being talked about as a true contender going into the 2025 season is even more rare.
Honestly not being talked about, not getting the hype of the Big 10 or Texas/ Georgia in the SEC makes this team that much more dangerous. There seems to be a sense of frustration with how last season ended, and there seems to be a certain confidence or pride that may not have been there last year. As the chaos ensues in the college football world during the off-season rest assured Alabama fans everything is right where it matters the most.