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College Football Preview 2024: Alabama Crimson Tide win projections, strengths and weaknesses, quarterback spotlight and more

PFF's college football previews provide an advanced overview every FBS team entering the 2024 season, including PFF-exclusive advanced stats, player grades, scheme analysis and more.

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• Head Coach: Kalen DeBoer (first season)
• 2023 Record: 12-2 (lost Rose Bowl, CFP Semifinal)
• PFF power ranking: 5th
• Chance to win SEC: 10%
• Strength of schedule: 23rd
• Projected win total: 8.4
• FanDuel win total: 9.5
• 2024 recruiting rank (On3): No. 2 nationally, No. 2 in the SEC

The biggest story of the college football offseason meant bad news for the Crimson Tide, as former head coach Nick Saban, arguably the greatest coach of all time, announced his retirement after 17 seasons as the coach at Alabama.

The program swiftly hired Kalen DeBoer to replace the seven-time national champion. He will enter the 2024 campaign with an incredible 104-12 record as a head coach and notably led Washington to the national championship game last season.

DeBoer could work wonders with Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, who might have the best tools of any quarterback in America. However, the Crimson Tide will have to answer serious questions about their receiving corps and cornerback room to remain in the national championship picture.

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BIGGEST STRENGTH: OFFENSIVE LINE​

Bama will field the best offensive line in the country. All three of their projected starters on the interior ranked among PFF's top 10 returning interior offensive linemen.

BIGGEST WEAKNESS: RECEIVING CORPS​

Alabama’s projected top receiver, Washington transfer Germie Bernard, recorded just 430 yards this past season. So, head coach Kalen DeBoer and quarterback Jalen Milroe will need to elevate a very inexperienced bunch.

2023 TEAM OVERVIEW​

Offense​
EPA per play	Yards per play	Successful play rate	Explosive run play rate	Explosive pass play rate
0.097	6.2	36.3%	20.3%	18.4%
29th	T-42nd	55th	10th	21st
Defense​
EPA allowed per play	Yards allowed per play	Successful play rate allowed	Explosive run rate allowed	Explosive pass rate allowed
-0.105	4.9	29.9%	13.4%	11.7%
26th	T-16th	15th	35th	12th

THREE NOTABLE TRANSFER PORTAL ADDITIONS​

• C Parker Brailsford (Washington): 77.3 PFF grade
• S Keon Sabb (Michigan): 82.1 PFF grade
• WR Germie Bernard (Washington): 71.0 PFF grade

THREE NOTABLE TRANSFER PORTAL LOSSES​

• S Caleb Downs (Ohio State): 85.6 PFF grade
• WR Isaiah Bond (Texas): 76.3 PFF grade
• TE Amari Niblack (Texas): 66.0 PFF grade

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Projected win total...8.4. Yicks

 

[XXL TideFan]

Projected win total...8.4. Yicks

Everyone is throwing crap on the wall to see what sticks.

 

[im4uainva]

I believe we will be better than that. CKD will be better than that. This is not a new start up program.

ROLL TIDE!

 

[50+yeartidefan]

I believe we will be better than that. CKD will be better than that. This is not a new start up program.

ROLL TIDE!

I think so too.

 

[mando]

CKD only wins 8 games there will be fans jumping off the roof and opposing fans celebrating. I think bama will be better than 8 wins but I do not see them meeting the Bama standard. Hope I am completly wrong. CKD certainly has the talent to be better than that.

 

[TerryP]

I think bama will be better than 8 wins but I do not see them meeting the Bama standard.

Which would be two losses if we look at the last few years, over the last decade it's probably 1.75.

UGA favored, LSU by a point. That spells 10-2 according to the markets. Which...

 

[mando]

Which would be two losses if we look at the last few years, over the last decade it's probably 1.75.

UGA favored, LSU by a point. That spells 10-2 according to the markets. Which...

The Bama standard in the last couple of years was not met in my view. A lot of struggles. I suspect Bama will be 9-3 or 10-2. Been a while since going into the season Bama was considered anything but 1st or 2nd in the SEC and nation for that matter. I think that is more reasonable expectations in year one honestly.

 

[TerryP]

The Bama standard in the last couple of years was not met in my view. A lot of struggles. I suspect Bama will be 9-3 or 10-2. Been a while since going into the season Bama was considered anything but 1st or 2nd in the SEC and nation for that matter. I think that is more reasonable expectations in year one honestly.

UGA and LSU were favored last year, weren't they? A&M, the year before.

 

[mando]

UGA and LSU were favored last year, weren't they? A&M, the year before.

Yes Bama struggled big time early on as you know so it was not a surprise to see them underdogs. I doubt they were underdogs to both in preseason but maybe they were. To me at least last year was not the Bama standard even though the team improved significantly from the early part of the season.

 

[TerryP]

Yes Bama struggled big time early on as you know so it was not a surprise to see them underdogs. I doubt they were underdogs to both in preseason but maybe they were. To me at least last year was not the Bama standard even though the team improved significantly from the early part of the season.

I know they threw the ole 'half' in the win total last with Bama between 10 and 11.

I hate looking up things on my phone.

 

[UAgrad93]

10-2 at worst and in the playoffs, to 12-0 with 1st round bye. I believe overall, the staff is better as a whole, where at times during the CNS tenure, we were hurting in some areas, whether it be OL, DL, LB or WR play/development. Strong recruiters but subpar as position coaches.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

10-2 at worst and in the playoffs, to 12-0 with 1st round bye. I believe overall, the staff is better as a whole, where at times during the CNS tenure, we were hurting in some areas, whether it be OL, DL, LB or WR play/development. Strong recruiters but subpar as position coaches.

And in game coaches.

 

[mando]

I think CNS admitted as much that it was getting harder to get coaches to come to Bama with his age. I do think the staff as a whole was not as good the last couple of years. CNS was always the difference maker but in my view there would have been another natty in T-Town if we had better coordinators the last couple of years.

 

[Crtuneman]

IMO PFF is not a reliable source. Their ratings seem to be random and at times inexplicable. And they don’t have a great track record of predictions.