Paul Finebaum. © Shanna Lockwood-Imagn Images

Paul Finebaum Names SEC Powerhouse Ready to Rebound After Being 'Inept' Last Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Jul 5, 2025 6:00 PM ET

The 2024 college football season was a historic one for the sport. It was the first season featuring the 12-team College Football Playoff, involved significant conference realignment and marked the first time in 17 years that legendary head coach Nick Saban was not on the sidelines at Alabama.

Saban retired after the 2023 season, and Kalen DeBoer, the head coach of the Washington Huskies, took over. DeBoer had just led Washington to the national championship game prior to his new appointment.

However, the first year under DeBoer did not go smoothly for the Crimson Tide, as they finished with a 9-4 record, their worst season since Saban's inaugural year in 2007. To make matters worse, Alabama lost to three teams that ended the season with five or more losses.

Despite these challenges, Paul Finebaum, an SEC Network analyst, expressed optimism for the 2025 season on "The Paul Finebaum Show," citing one main reason for hope.

"I was in Alabama the other day, and I heard more positive feedback," Finebaum said. "In fact, I talked to a prominent Alabama person who saw DeBoer recently, and he gave the explanation about why there's so much positivity lately. And you've heard this — they didn't lose a single player due to NIL. I'm not sure that's a plus or minus considering how inept Alabama was last year."

Finebaum has expressed strong confidence in the Crimson Tide's ability to rebound this season. He predicts that Alabama will secure a spot in the College Football Playoff. Although he previously stated that Alabama would start the season ranked No. 3 in the SEC, he believes they have a genuine chance of competing in the SEC Championship Game.

ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) measures team strength and aims to be the most accurate predictor of a team's performance throughout the season. According to the FPI, the Crimson Tide is ranked as the No. 3 team in the country, trailing only 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% likelihood for the Crimson Tide to return to the playoffs for the first time under 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 Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida, 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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