A new era will begin in Tuscaloosa this fall as Cullen DeBoer replaces the legendary Nick Saban.
With the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams and the SEC adding Texas and Oklahoma, DraftKings has Alabama at 14/1 odds to win the national championship.
The Tide also have +800 odds to win the SEC and +100 odds to make the CFP.
Let’s take a look at Alabama’s roster and schedule to see if there’s value in the futures market.
Offensive Outlook
DeBoer helped Michael Pennis Jr. become a Heisman Trophy finalist and a first-round draft pick by Washington.
Now he’ll try to do the same with Jalen Milroe, who has 35 total touchdowns in 2023.
Milroe has good arm strength, solid deep-ball speed and big-play rushing ability.
If he can improve his mechanics and learn to read the field better, he could be in the running for the Heisman Trophy voting this fall.
The Crimson Tide will need to replace three starters on the offensive line, their top three pass-catching players and their leading rusher.
Junior wide receivers Kendrick Law and Kobe Prentiss are poised to make a big impact, while transfer student Jermy Bernard is a highly-regarded former DeBoer recruit out of Washington.
Justise Haynes and Jam Miller head up a versatile group of running backs.
Parker Brailsford should be a stabilizing force on the offensive line.
Defensive Outlook
Alabama lost three NFL draft picks — Dallas Turner, Chris Braswell and Justin Eboige — a combined 25 sacks and eight of its top nine players in total snaps are gone from last season.
But the Tide has rebuilt its roster as usual, and the defense is loaded with former standout rookies at all three levels.
DeBoer also brings in three defensive backs who are expected to compete for starting spots: Domani Jackson, Da’Shawn Jones and Caleb Sabb.
Kane Womack is the team’s new defensive coordinator.
He most recently served as the head coach at the University of South Alabama, where the school finished in the top 30 in scoring defense each of the past two seasons.
2024 Schedule
Alabama should have near double-digit advantages over non-conference opponents Western Kentucky, South Florida and Wisconsin, so the door is open for them to get off to a fast start.
A home game against Georgia on Sept. 28 will be the first big test of the DeBoer era.
The Crimson Tide also has tough road games against Tennessee, Louisiana State and Oklahoma.
Missouri should come to Tuscaloosa with a strong and confident offense.
Home games against South Carolina, Mercer and Auburn, plus an away game against Vanderbilt, should help ease the schedule.
Final Verdict
When a team loses an all-time great coach like Saban, a natural drop in market valuation is to be expected.
But DeBoer has won at every stage of his career, and the high standard set by Alabama is unlikely to change.
The Crimson Tide rank second in the country in Bud Elliott’s blue chip percentage and, on paper, have the most talented roster DeBoer has ever worked with.
Do you bet on college football?
A great head coach, talented players and a great football culture should lead to success.
I love betting plus money on Alabama winning at least 9.5 games this fall, but my favorite way to invest in this team is to bet on them making the CFP at +100 odds.
With 10 wins, the Crimson Tide is sure to advance to the postseason, and with nine wins they could qualify.
If you want to bet on the upside, I like Milroe’s Heisman Trophy odds at 15/1.
He should put up video game-caliber numbers in DeBoer’s offense and be a front-runner for the Heisman Trophy if the Crimson Tide enters the CFP.
Recommendations: Alabama to play in the CFP (+100, DraftKings) | Jalen Milroe to win the Heisman Trophy (15/1, DraftKings)
