Alabama lands outside of top 5 in ESPN’s updated power rankings before Week 0
By Mark Kern
Published:
Alabama and coach Kalen DeBoer are entering the 2025 season looking to bounce back from a disappointing 9-4 season. Ty Simpson is set to begin his first season as the starting quarterback, and the Crimson Tide will be looking to make it back to the College Football Playoff.
The Crimson Tide are the No. 8 team in both the coaches and AP polls. ESPN also dropped its power rankings before Week 0, and Alabama is just a little higher on that list. Alabama landed at No. 7 in ESPN’s power rankings.
Here’s some analysis on Alabama from ESPN’s Chris Low:
The Crimson Tide embark on Year 2 under Kalen DeBoer on the road against Florida State on Aug. 30 with a new starting quarterback (Ty Simpson). Even though Simpson is hardly new to the program, changes include a new offensive coordinator (Ryan Grubb), some tweaks on defense (more movement) and what DeBoer said will be a “harder edge” after Alabama lost four games last season for the first time since 2007, Nick Saban’s first season in Tuscaloosa. The defense has a chance to be dominant, in the mold of some of Saban’s best defenses, especially if middle linebacker Deontae Lawson can stay healthy. The offense will look to be more balanced in Grubb’s first season at Alabama. The Tide’s offensive line should take some of the pressure off Simpson, who’s in his fourth year on campus, and Simpson’s receiving corps is deep and talented, led by sophomore Ryan Williams.”
The Crimson Tide have an interesting Week 1 game this season, as they travel to Tallahassee to take on a Florida State team that will also be looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2024 season. New Florida State quarterback Thomas Castellanos made some headlines when he talked some trash about Alabama earlier this offseason.
DeBoer has a great track record in his coaching career of making huge strides from his first season to his second. In his other three college football coaching jobs, he has won at least three games more in Year 2. If he and the Crimson Tide are able to do that in 2025, then the fans in Alabama are in store for an exciting and extremely fun season.
