The 2025 season for the Alabama Crimson Tide ended much sooner than expected. Making a return to the College Football Playoff after a one-year absence, Alabama came in as an at-large bid ranked No. 9.
The Crimson Tide barely made it into the 12-team field, however, after losing 28-7 in the SEC Championship. With such a lopsided loss, those in Tuscaloosa had to wait until the final selection show on Sunday to see if Alabama would even be included.
The result was a rematch with Oklahoma on the road — a team Alabama had lost to earlier in the season at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Crimson Tide got their revenge with a 34-24 victory over the Sooners in the first round, but the celebration was short-lived.
Indiana, the No. 1 team in the country, throttled Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal — oddly enough, the site of the program’s previous playoff appearance. The loss capped the season at 11-4.
That result didn’t exactly inspire optimism heading into 2026, which will mark head coach Kalen DeBoer’s third season in Tuscaloosa.
Clay Travis Shows Pessimism Toward Alabama in 2026
Each year Nick Saban’s presence fades at Alabama, the results appear to follow. Since arguably the greatest coach in college football history stepped away, the program has come back down to earth.
DeBoer is now 20-8, a record that would be praised almost anywhere else. At Alabama, however, expectations are different — shaped by the standard Saban set over 17 seasons.
That reality was at the center of comments made by OutKick’s Clay Travis while appearing on “Next Round,” where he suggested the downward trend could continue in 2026.
“The standard set by Nick Saban is a burden Kalen DeBoer must bear,” Travis said. “And while there have been highs across his first two seasons, the Crimson Tide have not met that vaunted standard over that span. What’s more: belief in Alabama is fading. The Crimson Tide missed the CFB Playoff altogether in 2024 and lost in the quarterfinals in 2025.”
Clay Travis Says Loss of Ty Simpson Will Be Crucial to Alabama
When discussing Alabama’s outlook for 2026, Travis pointed directly to the quarterback position. The Crimson Tide are losing Ty Simpson, who has declared for the NFL Draft.
“I’m not sure Alabama is gonna be a top-half SEC team next year,” Travis said. “I’m not sold on your QB position, couldn’t run the ball at all last year. I don’t think you’ve gotten better in the transfer portal relative to players lost versus players gained.”
“Ty Simpson is gonna be a first-round QB. I don’t think you’ll replace him with a first-round QB. I’m not very optimistic on Alabama. I think there’s a decent chance Kalen DeBoer gets fired during the season next year.”
More Alabama on Heavy: Nick Saban Steered Alabama QB Ty Simpson Away From $6.3 Million Miami Offer
Beyond Simpson’s departure, Alabama has also lost significant talent through the transfer portal and hasn’t made many notable additions to offset those losses.
The Crimson Tide have seen several four-star players leave, including Isaiah Horton, Noah Carter, Jaylen Mbakwe, Keon Keeley, James Smith and Jordan Renaud, with 21 total transfers overall, according to 247Sports.
For DeBoer, coaching can only carry a program so far. Without the necessary talent around him, Alabama could be heading toward a season few in Tuscaloosa are prepared for.
Alabama Gets Troubling 2026 Prediction After Ty Simpson Declares For NFL Draft