The Alabama Crimson Tide are coming off a disappointing 2024 season. After legendary head coach Nick Saban retired following the 2023 season, Kalen DeBoer was named as his replacement. In his first season as coach, DeBoer led the Crimson Tide to a 9-4 record. By most team’s standards, that would be a good year. However, for Alabama, missing the College Football Playoff is not something it accepts.
Part of the reason the Crimson Tide struggled last year was because of injuries. On Friday, analyst Greg McElroy discussed how if injuries pop up again for Alabama, it could derail its season. He praised the team’s starting lineup, but thinks its depth could be a problem if it is forced into the forefront.
“I think they’re better equipped to manage it this year but in the event in which they have a similar injury year to what they had a year ago, they could get really young in a hurry,” Greg McElroy said (4:50). “So that’s something that you have to be mindful of. I think their starting 22 has as strong a case as anybody in college football to be one of the best in America. Their starting 22 is outstanding.
“And if they stay healthy across the board, do not be surprised if this team is contending again for a national championship. But if they get banged up the way they did a little bit last year, then that level of play could drop off a little bit and that could lead to an unforeseen loss at some point throughout the season.”
Alabama’s Season Was Lost Last Year Because of a Few Unexpected Losses
Greg McElroy finished up his discussion about the Alabama Crimson Tide by pointing out that injuries could lead to them suffering an unforeseen loss. One of those losses could be the difference between qualifying for the College Football Playoff and missing out. Even in the expanded 12-team format, teams cannot afford to have many losses if they want to qualify.
Alabama suffered three losses last season, two of which sank their season. The first was the most glaring, a 40-35 loss to Vanderbilt in Week 5. The other bad loss came in the second-to-last game of the season against Oklahoma.
If Alabama had managed to come away from either of those games with a win, there is a good chance it would have qualified for the College Football Playoff. The third loss was to Tennessee but was more acceptable. Greg McElroy is worried that if injuries impact the team again, similar unforeseen losses could occur this year.
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