OPINION: Ranking Alabama football’s 2025 SEC schedule from easiest to hardest

In year two of the Kalen DeBoer era, the Alabama Crimson Tide will play the same SEC opponents as last season but with home and away flipped.

A few teams have lost their top-tier talent to the NFL while others have brought athletes that will make notable contributions immediately. 

Here is a look at my take on ranking the Tide’s 2025 SEC opponents from easiest to hardest. 

8. Vanderbilt (Oct. 4)

Quarterback Diego Pavia will still be under center for the Commodores this season after suing for another year of eligibility. Pavia led his team to an upset victory over the Crimson Tide in 2024, but DeBoer and company are now familiar with the recent strides Vanderbilt has made in football.

They will play the Crimson Tide in Bryant-Denny Stadium this go around, and DeBoer did not lose a game at home last season.

7. At Missouri (Oct. 11)

The Tigers were shut out by the Crimson Tide in 2024, but Missouri will be the home team now. Missouri is 7-5 straight up and 9-3 against the spread as a home underdog during head coach Eli Drinkwitz’s tenure.

DeBoer suffered three road losses in his first season, so preparing for road games in 2025 will be paramount if Alabama is going to make the playoff.

6. Tennessee (Oct. 18)

Tennessee’s culture was shaken up during the Nico Iamaleava drama, but that has been settled. However, the quarterback vacancy adds more stress to the Vols who were already worrying about finding a replacement at another skill position.   

The Vols’ bread and butter was the run game with Dylan Sampson. Sampson rushed for 22 touchdowns a season ago, but he is no longer in college. It will be really hard to replicate that kind of production.

Tennessee has not beaten Alabama in Bryant-Denny Stadium since 2006, and the Vols have not beaten the Crimson Tide in back-to-back seasons since 2003 and 2004.

5. Oklahoma (Nov. 15)

Once again, Alabama will get a chance to avenge a loss from the 2024 season, and the Tide will be the home team as the Sooners come to Tuscaloosa.

Defensively, Oklahoma lost a few key pieces like linebacker Danny Stutsman, who was the heartbeat of the defense last season. However, the offensive side of the ball looks brighter than it did in 2024.

Quarterback John Mateer transferred in from Washington State, and the Sooners hired offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle away from Washington State. 

Vanderbilt took this exact approach in 2024 when they acquired Pavia and offensive coordinator Tim Beck from New Mexico State. It worked out well for the Commodores, and it could be even better for Oklahoma. 

4. At South Carolina (Oct. 25)

South Carolina returns quarterback LaNorris Sellers and edge rusher Dylan Stewart, but the Gamecocks lost important pieces in the NFL draft like running back Rocket Sanders and defensive lineman Kyle Kennard.

Last year, the Gamecocks nearly upset the Crimson Tide on Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Beamer Ball came into effect in the closing seconds as South Carolina recovered an onside kick. 

When the Gamecocks host Alabama, expect Shane Beamer to have some special teams tricks up his sleeve,

3. LSU (Nov. 8)

Brian Kelly and LSU were run out of Death Valley by Jalen Milroe’s legs last season. There’s a good chance that Kelly kept that memory in the forefront of his mind when assembling a team for the upcoming season.

He pairs a No. 10 overall recruiting class with their top-ranked transfer class according to 247Sports.

Expectations are high in Baton Rouge, and one of the most important storylines to follow throughout this season and the next is if Brian Kelly is the right coach to guide this talented ship.

2. At Auburn (Nov. 29)

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze has brought in two highly talented quarterbacks in Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold and true freshman Deuce Knight.

Arnold ran wild on the Crimson Tide defense in 2024, rushing for over 130 yards. Knight was the No. 4 overall recruit in the 2025 class.

The Tigers also added Georgia Tech transfer wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. to play opposite of Cam Coleman, who had a sensational freshman season.

Anyone who has followed the last few decades of the Iron Bowl knows there is magic in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Alabama has needed miracles to defeat the Tigers in their last two trips to the plains, even when the Crimson Tide’s roster was more talented than the Tigers.

1. At Georgia (Sept. 27)

Regardless of who leaves the program or gets drafted to the NFL, Georgia has always been an SEC Championship contender under head coach Kirby Smart.

Carson Beck transferred to Miami in the offseason, but luckily Gunnar Stockton got to take meaningful snaps under center last season when Beck was injured. 

The Bulldogs can build on the flashes that Stockton showed in the SEC Championship victory over Texas, and there are a few key additions in the wide receiver room with Noah Thomas transferred in from Texas A&M and Zachariah Branch transferring from USC.