In his second year at the helm of the Alabama Crimson Tide, head coach Kalen DeBoer is staring directly into the eye of a brewing storm. The 2025 college football season is fast approaching, and Alabama’s path to the College Football Playoff looks like one of the most treacherous in the nation. With a schedule packed with elite SEC matchups, rising programs, and high expectations following the departure of Nick Saban, DeBoer isn’t just managing a team—he’s navigating a national power shift.
And he’s doing it under immense pressure.
A Brutal Gauntlet Ahead
Alabama’s 2025 schedule is nothing short of a minefield. The Tide are slated to face traditional SEC juggernauts like Georgia and LSU, while also taking on rapidly ascending programs such as Texas and Oklahoma, both now entrenched in the SEC. Add in road trips to places like Neyland Stadium to face Tennessee and a potential playoff-shaking non-conference matchup still rumored to be in the works, and it’s clear: Alabama’s margin for error is razor-thin.
The new-look SEC—with 16 teams and no divisions—means there are no longer guaranteed “rebuild” games. Every week will carry playoff implications, and DeBoer knows it. “There’s no easing into this,” he told reporters this spring. “It’s a battlefield from week one to week thirteen.”
Transition at the Top
The departure of Nick Saban left a void not just at Alabama, but in the national power structure of college football. DeBoer, coming off a stellar run at Washington and a successful first year in Tuscaloosa, is now tasked with maintaining Alabama’s dominance in an era of unprecedented parity.
He’s already made bold moves—revamping the offense with a more vertical passing game, upgrading key assistant positions, and adapting quickly to the NIL and transfer portal dynamics. But as elite programs like Michigan, Ohio State, Texas, and Florida State surge in recruiting and performance, Alabama no longer has a guaranteed spot at the top.
The Shift in Power
What makes the 2025 season so compelling is that DeBoer isn’t just reacting to chaos—he’s looking to use it. With new leadership at Alabama, a resurgent Texas led by Steve Sarkisian, and Lincoln Riley’s USC eyeing the Big Ten throne, the old balance of power is tipping. The days of SEC supremacy going uncontested are over, and DeBoer is aware that how Alabama performs this season could either reaffirm or disrupt the sport’s hierarchy.
“This is the time where programs either lead or fall back,” an SEC analyst noted. “DeBoer has inherited a kingdom, but keeping it intact in this landscape is going to take more than talent. It’s going to take vision.”
A Season of Defining Moments
The 2025 Alabama football season won’t just determine playoff berths. It could define DeBoer’s tenure, reshape recruiting pipelines, and either preserve or fracture the Tide’s two-decade dominance. The chaos isn’t just a backdrop—it’s the proving ground.
And Kalen DeBoer? He’s not backing down. He’s leaning in.
Whether Alabama rises above the turmoil or gets swept up in the shift, one thing is certain: the college football world will be watching every snap.
