Paul Finebaum Names Major SEC Program That Will Silence Doubters This Season originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 2024 college football season did not go as several programs had hoped, leading to doubts about their ability to turn things around.
This is particularly true for the Alabama Crimson Tide, who finished the year with a 9-4 record in Kalen DeBoer’s first season as head coach. DeBoer took over from the legendary Nick Saban, who had a remarkable 17-year tenure that included six national championships. DeBoer’s inaugural season was the worst for Alabama since Saban’s first year in 2007.
Now, DeBoer aims to silence the skeptics who question his capability as head coach. On “The Paul Finebaum Show,” the SEC Network analyst expressed optimism about the team’s potential to bounce back, suggesting that an exciting season could be ahead.
“I’m in Alabama a little bit more than I normally am,” Finebaum said, “and you start picking up things anecdotally, and it’s from a lot of ambivalence after the season to a good recruiting class, then tremendous momentum. That’s what I feel right now.”
Finebaum clarified that Alabama is a place where there is always momentum and excitement. He predicts the Crimson Tide will secure a spot in the College Football Playoff. Finebaum expects Alabama to start the season ranked No. 3 in the SEC but said he believes they have a legitimate chance of competing in the SEC Championship Game.
ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) measures team strength and aims to be the best predictor of a team’s performance throughout the season. According to the FPI, Alabama is ranked as the No. 3 team in the country, just behind the Texas Longhorns and the Georgia Bulldogs.
The FPI projects that Alabama will finish the season with a 9-3 record and gives them a 17.2% chance of winning the SEC. Additionally, the FPI indicates a 66.2% chance for the Crimson Tide to return to the playoffs for the first time under Coach DeBoer. Alabama also has a 10.2% chance of winning the national championship, which ties them with the defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes for the third-best odds in the nation.
The Crimson Tide will open the season at Doak S. Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla., against the Florida State Seminoles at 3:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 30.
Related: Paul Finebaum Reveals Why He Thinks Alabama Will Make the College Football Playoff
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
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