🏈 Breaking: Alabama Placed at No. 8 in 2025 Preseason Coaches Top 25 Poll

 

 

 

 

 

2025, the first USA Today AFCA Coaches Top 25 Poll of the college football season was released. Alabama is ranked No. 8, marking a modest but notable drop from recent years .

 

The top 10 in the poll reads:

 

1. Texas Longhorns *(first-ever preseason No. 1)*

 

 

2. Ohio State

 

 

3. Penn State

 

 

4. Georgia

 

 

5. Notre Dame

 

 

6. Clemson

 

 

7. Oregon

 

 

8. Alabama Crimson Tide

 

 

9. LSU

 

 

10. Miami (FL)

 

 

 

The SEC boasts nine teams in the poll, with Alabama third among them behind Georgia (No. 4) and LSU (No. 9) .

 

 

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🔍 Why This Rank Matters to the Tide

 

📉 A Slide from Preseason Prestige

 

2024: Alabama opened at No. 5, its worst preseason Coaches Poll ranking since 2009 .

 

From 2010 through 2022, Alabama consistently began seasons in the Coaches Poll top three under Nick Saban .

 

No. 8 in 2025 continues a gradual descent, signaling recalibrated expectations.

 

 

🧨 Competitive SEC Landscape

 

Even as the SEC tops conference representation with nine teams in the poll, Alabama trails both Georgia and LSU—a testament to shifting power dynamics in the league .

 

Texas’s entry into the SEC and instant preeminence underscores the changing landscape.

 

 

🔁 Transition at Head Coach

 

Kalen DeBoer, in his second season, leads Alabama following Nick Saban’s retirement. The 2024 season included unexpected losses (Vanderbilt, bowl defeat) and ended with a 9–4 record .

 

Some analysts, including a recent New York Post report, argue Alabama is undervalued—noting Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings place them second nationally, and their roster depth across key positions suggests upside beyond the No. 8 ranking .

 

 

 

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📝 Season Outlook: What’s at Stake

 

To justify their ranking and reclaim elite status, Alabama must:

 

1. Dominate key SEC matchups — wins at or versus Georgia, LSU, and other ranked foes are critical.

 

 

2. Build strong early season momentum in non-conference play to shift midseason polls upward.

 

 

3. Leverage returning talent and scheme continuity under DeBoer to push back toward top‑5 status.

 

 

 

 

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🌟 Historical Perspective

 

Alabama’s preseason ranking streak under Saban often placed them among the top 3 nationally. Their No. 8 position contrasts sharply with that legacy of perennial dominance.

 

The last time Alabama entered a season lower than No. 5 was in 2009, the same year they ultimately won the national championship .

 

 

 

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✔️ Final Summary

 

Alabama is ranked No. 8 in the first Coaches Poll of the 2025 season.

 

This comes after a No. 5 debut in 2024, marking the lowest preseason position since 2009 and continuing a downward trajectory.

 

Despite skepticism, experts see upside in Alabama’s roster and strategic position.

 

The Tide face a pivotal season: performing well earl

y and in key SEC games could redefine perceptions and restore their traditional top‑tier standing.