This week at media days, the Crimson Tide found themselves in a unique position. Instead of being viewed as a nearly unbeatable power, the prevailing wisdom is that Nick Saban has passed his prime; the offense will struggle, and Alabama’s reign at the top of the SEC may be over. In our Alabama season predictions, our analysts give their take on the state of the Crimson Tide.
Alabama Season Predictions: Predicting the Game-by-Game Results
Using groupthink, College Football Network analysts have painstakingly gone through every game for every team in the SEC and across the country.
Picking these games straight up with a projected score using the rosters as up-to-date as the last spring practice, the Alabama season predictions indicate what fans can possibly expect for the Crimson Tide in 2023.
Week 1 — Alabama vs. Middle Tennessee State: Win, 48-12 (1-0)
The Crimson Tide open their season by hosting Middle Tennessee State, the first of two SEC teams to do so. The Blue Raiders have a wide-open offense, and this game will actually provide a decent test of whether the Crimson Tide defense truly is better than last season.
Obviously, the number one storyline heading into this one is who will be under center for the Crimson Tide and how effective he will be.
Week 2 — Alabama vs. Texas: Win, 25-20 (2-0)
Our analysts are split on this one. I personally believe that the Tide will win relatively easily, while Cam Mellor believes Alabama wins a tough, low-scoring slobberknocker. Oliver Hodgkinson thinks the Tide lose outright.
Quinn Ewers is the X-Factor here, but if the Alabama pass rush is as good as I’m hearing, Ewers may have a long day.
Week 3 — Alabama @ USF: Win, 44-3 (3-0)
In one of the weirder home-away splits, the Crimson Tide first leaves Bryant Denny in Week 3 when they play on the road at South Florida. Unsurprisingly, none of our analysts think this will be a very good game and have all given it to Alabama in a blowout.
Week 4 — Alabama vs. Ole Miss: Win, 33-24 (4-0, 1-0 SEC)
While examining our predicted scores, it became immediately apparent to me that I am much higher on the Alabama defense than my colleagues. Both Mellor and Hodgkinson gave this to the Crimson Tide in a high-scoring game.
I simultaneously have more trust in the Alabama defense and less trust in the Ole Miss offense than my two colleagues and gave this one to Alabama 34-17.
Week 5 — Alabama @ Mississippi State: Win, 37-22 (5-0, 2-0 SEC)
Alabama’s first road SEC game is in Starkville against the Bulldogs. If Mississippi State is to pull the upset, Will Rogers has to have the game of his life.
Again, that would be difficult against this Crimson Tide pass rush, even if the Bulldog scheme is predicated on getting the ball out of the hands of the quarterback quickly. All three of us gave this one to the Crimson Tide.
Week 6 — Alabama @ Texas A&M: Win, 31-18 (6-0, 3-0 SEC)
If some of these scores seem a bit inflated, just blame me. For the third week in a row, I have the Crimson Tide winning in a blowout while my colleagues have this being a tighter affair.
It’s unclear if Jimbo Fisher will allow the experienced offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino to call plays or not, and whether he does or not will determine how I feel about the Texas A&M offense.
Week 7 — Alabama vs. Arkansas: Win, 29-28 (7-0, 4-0 SEC)
With three analysts and a final score giving the Tide a 1-point win, mathematically it’s obvious that one of us picked against the Tide. I know what you’re thinking, it wasn’t me. Actually, it was. Situated between a high-stakes road game at Texas A&M and a revenge game against Tennessee, this is a prime upset spot for the Crimson Tide.
KJ Jefferson is the type of quarterback that can make an aggressive defensive line pay, and the Razorbacks have a solid defensive unit that could give offensive coordinator Tommy Rees issues.
Week 8 — Alabama vs. Tennessee: Win, 34-29 (8-0, 5-0 SEC)
If you think that Nick Saban has not been thinking about last year’s Tennessee game since the loss, you’re kidding yourself. This year, the Crimson Tide hosts the Volunteers in Bryant Denny. Our experts were divided.
Mellor gave this one to the Volunteers in what he has as the only loss on Alabama’s schedule. Hodgkinson and I both picked the Crimson Tide but differ in that I think the offense will light up the scoreboard while he thinks Alabama will struggle to move the ball and win in a low-scoring game.
Week 10 — Alabama vs. LSU: Loss, 30-32 (8-1, 5-1 SEC)
It’s unsurprising that we ended up with such a close score for the game that might ultimately decide the winner of the SEC West. We’re split, if you can believe that. Mellor and I gave this to the Crimson Tide in a close one, partially because of the home-field advantage and bye-week aspects. Hodgkinson picked LSU by 15, and it’s one of the more surprising predictions of the year.
Jayden Daniels is the type of dual-threat quarterback that could trouble the Alabama defense, and LSU’s defensive front is one of the scariest in college football.
Week 11 — Alabama @ Kentucky: Win, 30-20 (9-1, 6-1 SEC)
The final quarter of Alabama’s schedule is relatively tame. While Alabama is on the road here against a quality opponent, the matchups are not in Kentucky’s favor. Expect the Alabama defensive line to have a strong game, and expect the Tide to keep the ball on the ground early and often.
Week 12 — Alabama vs. Chattanooga: Win, 55-12 (10-1, 6-1 SEC)
As part of the 37th annual “SEC-SoCon Challenge,” Alabama hosts the Mocs from Chattanooga. In all likelihood, this will be a blowout in favor of the Crimson Tide, and there’s not much to write about it. Chattanooga does have a highly productive running back in Ailym Ford.
Week 13 — Alabama vs. Auburn: Win, 31-21 (11-1, 7-1 SEC)
I think Hugh Freeze will win an Iron Bowl or two in his tenure as Auburn’s head coach. You just cannot convince me that it will be this season. The Tigers still aren’t sure about a quarterback and have glaring holes throughout the roster. We’ve seen weird things happen at Jordan-Hare, but I don’t expect anything crazy in 2023.
