On the final day of SEC Media Days, the media picked Alabama football to finish third in the conference in Kalen DeBoer's debut season with the Crimson Tide .
EA Sports "College Football 25 " is not as rosy about how Alabama 's season will fare in the first year of the post- Nick Saban era. In a simulation of the 2024 Crimson Tide season run on Friday, the day of the worldwide release of the first college football video game in over a decade, Alabama finishes its inaugural season under DeBoer at 9-4 and 4-4 in the SEC.
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After being picked to finish third by the media at media days, Alabama tied for eighth with Georgia and Missouri with a .500 conference record. The last time the Crimson Tide finished at .500 in conference play was in Saban's first year, 2007. The Crimson Tide defeated a 6-6 USF 38-10 in the Fenway Bowl at Fenway Park in Boston.
For the simulation, the difficult level was set at Heisman, the highest level, and Alabama's head coach was Scott Green, as coaches are not in the brand new game.
Here's a look at how the simulated season went for Alabama with a look at each week, stats and more:
The DeBoer era started with three straight victories for the Crimson Tide over Western Kentucky, USF and Wisconsin . The victory over the Badgers was an excellent 42-34 road victory over a Big Ten opponent, albeit one that finished the season 3-9. Alabama's win over USF was on two-point conversions in overtime.
The Crimson Tide dropped its first game in an overtime thriller with Georgia, with the Bulldogs winning with a late score. Alabama bounced back with victories over Vanderbilt and South Carolina but then was tail-ended by rival Tennessee for the second time in three years. The Crimson Tide bounced back with a victory over Missouri ahead of its second bye week.
Alabama came out of the bye with another rivalry loss, a close one to LSU , before bouncing back with a win over FCS Southeast. The Crimson Tide's first trip to Norman, Oklahoma, resulted in a 42-30 loss, the second 12-point road defeat for Alabama on the season. Alabama closed the regular season with a dominant 40-26 victory over Auburn in the Iron Bowl.
The Crimson Tide defeated South Florida for the second time in the season and the third time in two years with a dominant 38-10 victory in the Fenway Bowl. It should be noted that the Fenway Bowl has historically been between the American Athletic Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference. No SEC team has played in the bowl since its inception on December 17, 2022.
Following the Bowl Games, Alabama finished No. 16 in the final College Football Playoff poll:
Week 1:Alabama 45, Western Kentucky 13 (1-0)
Week 2:Alabama 38, USF 36, OT (2-0)
Week 3:Alabama 42, Wisconsin 34 (3-0)
Week 4: Open week
Week 5:Georgia 53, Alabama 51, OT (3-1)
Week 6:Alabama 31, Vanderbilt 28 (4-1)
Week 7:Alabama 24, South Carolina 13 (5-1)
Week 8:Tennessee 40, Alabama 28
Week 9:Alabama 35, Missouri 27
Week 10:Open week
Week 11:LSU 24, Alabama 20
Week 12:Alabama 52, FCS Southeast 26
Week 13:Oklahoma 42, Alabama 30
Week 14:Alabama 40, Auburn 25
Fenway Bowl:Alabama 38, USF 10
Jalen Milore won the Heisman Award, Player of the Year honors and the Quarterback of the Year after throwing for 3,679 passing yards, 37 touchdowns, and six interceptions during the regular season. He also led the team with 124 carries and 586 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. Despite lofty draft status coming off a strong season, Milroe did not opt out of the Fenway Bowl, instead completing 20-of-24 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown to end his collegiate career.
Tight end CJ Dippre finished as the seventh-best tight end with 54 receptions for 560 yards and seven scores. Kendrick Law led Alabama receivers with 61 catches for 847 yards and 11 touchdowns, while Germie Bernard added 56 grabs for 845 yards and nine touchdowns. Kobe Prentice added 48 catches for 726 yards and six touchdowns and freshman Ryan Williams made a splash with 29 catches for 355 yards and three scores.
Right guard Jaeden Roberts won the best interior lineman honors, while Parker Brailsford was named the best center for an offense, finished 11th in the nation with 5,492 yards, and led the nation with 36.5 points per game.
Keon Sabb was the best defensive back, recording 55 tackles, three interceptions, four fumble recoveries and one deflection. He also returned one interception for a touchdown. James Burnip finished runner-up for best punter behind Oregon 's Ross James.
Florida (7-6) and Texas A&M (9-3) finished at 6-2 in SEC play to earn spots in the SEC Championship Game. The Aggies defeated the Gators 38-17 to win their first SEC Championship and earn a berth in the College Football Playoffs.
In the playoffs, No. 11 Utah made a Cinderella run from an 11-seed to knock off No. 9 seed NC State 38-32 in the National Championship Game. The Utes knocked off No. 6 Miami (48-46), No. 3 Virginia Tech (27-14) and No. 5 Michigan (34-31) to win the championship.
Here's a look at the entire CFP field:
1. Oregon (11-2)
2. Cincinnati (11-2)
3. Virginia Tech (10-3)
4. Texas A&M (10-3)
5. Ohio State (10-2)
6. Miami (11-1)
7. Michigan (10-2)
8. Rutgers (10-3)
9. NC State (11-2)
10. Notre Dame (10-2)
11. Utah (10-4)
12. Jacksonville State (10-3)
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: 'College Football 25' predicts Kalen DeBoer's first season with Alabama
