Paul Finebaum. © Shanna Lockwood-Imagn Images

Paul Finebaum Names College Football Powerhouse Who Will Return to the Playoff

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Jun 17, 2025 10:00 PM ET

The 2024 Alabama Crimson Tide experienced an up-and-down season in the first year of Kalen DeBoer's tenure as head coach. DeBoer succeeded the legendary Nick Saban, who retired after the 2023 season.

Alabama started the year strong, going 4-0, which included a big win over the Georgia Bulldogs. This success propelled the Crimson Tide to the nation's No. 1 ranking. However, Alabama lost four games after that start, three of which were against teams that finished the season with five or more losses.

Now, the Crimson Tide prepares for Year 2 under DeBoer. The biggest question mark is that they must replace quarterback Jalen Milroe, whom the Seattle Seahawks drafted.

Milroe's position will be filled by either Ty Simpson, Austin Mack (who followed DeBoer from Washington) or five-star recruit Keelon Russell, who is part of the 2025 recruiting class.

While the quarterback situation remains uncertain, ESPN's Paul Finebaum expressed optimism about the Crimson Tide's prospects this season on "The Paul Finebaum Show."

"10," Finebaum said. "I'm just talking regular season now. So, if they win 10, they'll get a chance to get a lot more."

ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) is a measure of team strength designed to predict a team's future performance for the remainder of the season. The index is optimistic about the Alabama Crimson Tide. The FPI forecasts that Alabama will win nine games in 2025, finishing as the third-best team in the SEC, behind the Texas Longhorns and the Georgia Bulldogs.

Additionally, Alabama has the fourth-best odds of making the College Football Playoff, with a 66.2% chance, trailing only Texas, Georgia, and the Ohio State Buckeyes. They are tied with Ohio State for the third-best odds of winning the national championship at 10.2%.

This could signal a significant bounce-back season for the Crimson Tide in 2025. Their season will kick off with a road game against the Florida State Seminoles at 3:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 30.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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