Breaking news from Alabama Football as the team faces a significant turnover following the 2024 season. A total of 21 players have entered the transfer portal since the end of the regular season and after the ReliaQuest Bowl. This marks a total of 23 departures when factoring in Naquil Betrand and Jaheim Oatis, both of whom left the program prior to the conclusion of the season.
In terms of offensive losses, Alabama saw 12 players exit, a group that collectively contributed 23 passing yards, 519 rushing yards, 485 receiving yards, seven rushing touchdowns, and two receiving touchdowns throughout the season.
The defense has also taken a hit, with 11 players transferring out. This group departs with 92 total tackles, 0.5 sacks, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries, and seven pass deflections.
On a positive note, Alabama has been active in the portal, adding nine new players to the roster, looking to strengthen the squad for the upcoming season.
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Oddsmakers more optimistic about Alabama football in 2025 than the media
As the clock ticks down to next week’s National Championship game between Ohio State and Notre Dame, oddsmakers have already begun projecting the odds for next season’s title contender. Early numbers suggest that, despite recent narratives, Alabama still holds strong favor among betting circles, even if the media sees things differently.
The prevailing storyline in the media has been that the Crimson Tide’s dynasty is officially over. This narrative, fueled by constant roster turnover in today’s college football era, argues that it’s increasingly difficult for any team to sustain a dominant run like Alabama’s in the past.
However, after a solid 9-4 season in Kalen DeBoer’s first year at the helm in Tuscaloosa, the media narrative seems to be shifting too far in the opposite direction. Notably, Andy Staples of On3 excluded Alabama from his Way Too Early Top 10 rankings, released just a couple of weeks ago. Similarly, our sister site, Saturday Blitz, placed the Crimson Tide shockingly low at No. 16 in their early Top 25 for next season.
Despite this, the oddsmakers remain much more optimistic about Alabama’s prospects. According to FanDuel, the Tide hold the sixth-highest odds at +1400 to win the national title, placing them third among SEC teams, trailing only Texas and Georgia. Meanwhile, Bet Online also gives them the sixth-highest odds at +1600, tied with Notre Dame, and again ranking behind Texas and Georgia.
While it may seem surprising not to see Alabama among the top two or three teams for national title odds, the confidence from oddsmakers in Kalen DeBoer’s second year suggests that they are far from ready to count out the Tide.
