Alabama football fans are unsure what the new reality is for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Almost all would agree that the college football world has experienced a massive change since Alabama's last National Championship in the 2020 season.
The NIL era reconfigured college football in 2021. Changes in transfer rules evolved to the point, in 2024, that transfers became nearly unlimited. The floodgates were crushed by money and a rule-less free agency environment that Nick Saban had warned about for years.
College football's 2025 National Champion will be either an ACC team or a Big Ten team. It will be the third straight year an SEC football team has failed to win the crown.
Nationally, critics of Alabama Football and the SEC are celebrating what is being called the SEC's demise. Three seasons are too small a sample. In the 11 completed seasons of the Playoff Era, SEC teams won six national titles, with the Alabama Crimson Tide leading the way with three national championships. Big Ten teams won three, and the ACC gained two national titles in Clemson's wins.
With national championships in 2021 and 2022, Georgia was portrayed as the SEC's dominant program. Back-to-back is still impressive, but the Dawgs not getting past Ole Miss this season tarnished Georgia's current postseason reputation. More than that, that game was emblematic of college football's new terrain. More painfully emblematic for Alabama fans was Indiana's domination of the Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl.
Alabama Football (and no other teams) can stockpile talent
Talent can no longer be stockpiled in a few top programs. The change is so dramatic that for many seasons, and perhaps forever, the last college football dynasty was held by the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Nick Saban saw all this coming. He was wise to walk away from coaching. What Alabama Football has now is a history as college football's best-ever program. David Pollack was right in multiple comments this season that opponents no longer fear the Crimson Tide.
Alabama fans are unsure what to expect in 2026 and beyond. A return to the glories of the past feels mostly improbable and perhaps impossible. Three or four loss seasons could become the new norm. That's how much college football has changed. It has nothing to do with Saban retiring or whether or not Kalen DeBoer is a national championship-quality coach. Alabama can and should continue to win national titles, but when the next one will come is a complete unknown.
Note: Playoff and championship history provided by collegefootballplayoff.com