{"id":136410,"date":"2025-08-11T07:50:16","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T07:50:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/136410\/"},"modified":"2025-08-11T07:50:16","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T07:50:16","slug":"2025-alabama-football-predictions-crimson-tide-ranked-9th-in-rj-youngs-ultimate-136","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/136410\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 Alabama Football Predictions: Crimson Tide Ranked 9th in RJ Young&#8217;s Ultimate 136"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/personalities\/rj-young\" class=\"contributor-wrapper pd-t-b-10 flex\" data-v-d8ab971f=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1754898614_879_RJ-Young-727x727.png\" alt=\"RJ Young\" class=\"contributor-headshot\" width=\"36\" height=\"36\" data-v-d8ab971f=\"\"\/> <\/p>\n<p>RJ Young<\/p>\n<p>FOX Sports National College Football Analyst<\/p>\n<p> <\/a>   <\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" data-v-8d19012c=\"\">This isn&#8217;t your average <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/college-football\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">college football<\/a> ranking.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" data-v-8d19012c=\"\">My Ultimate 136 is a set of rankings that is fluid, but it&#8217;s my job to look ahead and make a claim for all FBS teams based on what I know and why I know it. Here are the three pressing questions I started by asking when putting together this list:<\/p>\n<ul displaynav=\"true\" class=\"mg-b-15 article-content\" data-v-8d19012c=\"\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">\n<li class=\"ff-h\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">Who do I think is good?<\/li>\n<li class=\"ff-h\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">Why do I think they&#8217;re good?<\/li>\n<li class=\"ff-h\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">What are the chances they will finish above or below my expectations?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" data-v-8d19012c=\"\">Here is a look at where <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/college-football\/alabama-crimson-tide-team\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Alabama<\/a> lands in my Ultimate 136.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" data-v-8d19012c=\"\"><strong>Alabama Crimson Tide ranking: <\/strong>9<br \/><strong>Last year\u2019s ranking: <\/strong>9<br \/><strong>Top player<\/strong>: WR\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/college-football\/ryan-williams-23-player\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Ryan Williams<\/a>: Freshman All-American selection, First-Team All-<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/college-football\/sec\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">SEC<\/a>; was one of seven SEC players to record 8 touchdown catches last season.<\/p>\n<p><strong>[<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/college-football\/alabama-crimson-tide-team-schedule\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><strong>Alabama&#8217;s 2025 schedule<\/strong><\/a><strong>]<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" data-v-8d19012c=\"\"><strong>RJ&#8217;s take: <\/strong>No program has more appearances in the College Football Playoff (eight), wins in the CFP (nine) and national titles won in the CFP era (three), than Alabama. But what&#8217;s just as impressive as those three national titles is that Alabama has made the CFP once every other year since its inception in 2014.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" data-v-8d19012c=\"\">Tide coach Kalen DeBoer is at risk of sullying that legacy. He must make the CFP in its 12-team format or Alabama might just ask Nick Saban to return and replace the guy he handpicked.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" data-v-8d19012c=\"\">And DeBoer needs to do it with style: In games where Alabama was favored to win by 14 points or more, Saban was 135-3. In games where Alabama was favored to win by 14 or more last season, DeBoer was 6-3.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" data-v-8d19012c=\"\">Quarterback <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/nfl\/jalen-milroe-player\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Jalen Milroe<\/a> and running back <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/college-football\/justice-haynes-player\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Justice Haynes<\/a> are gone, but freshman phenom Ryan Williams remains. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/college-football\/ty-simpson-player\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Ty Simpson<\/a> will be the QB providing him service in Week 1, and RB <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/college-football\/jamarion-miller-player\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Jam Miller<\/a> will carry the load in the backfield with Haynes at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/college-football\/michigan-wolverines-team\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Michigan<\/a> this year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" data-v-8d19012c=\"\">Defensively, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/college-football\/deontae-lawson-player\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Deontae Lawson<\/a> will set the tone. He&#8217;s been steady in the middle with at least 67 tackles and 2.0 sacks each of the past two years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" data-v-8d19012c=\"\">Apart from the roster, DeBoer oversaw the first season in which Alabama lost four games in a season since 2007 \u2014 Saban\u2019s Year 1.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" data-v-8d19012c=\"\">Still, it looked good at the start of the DeBoer era. Remember, he began 4-0 with a win against No. 2-ranked <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/college-football\/georgia-bulldogs-team\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Georgia<\/a> before things fell apart. Beat everybody you&#8217;re supposed to beat, like an offensively bad <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/college-football\/oklahoma-sooners-team\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Oklahoma<\/a>, middling Michigan and even plucky <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/college-football\/vanderbilt-commodores-team\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Vanderbilt<\/a> and you won&#8217;t have to pick a fight with the selection committee about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/college-football\/smu-mustangs-team\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">SMU<\/a> being a better team than you.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" data-v-8d19012c=\"\">Easier said than done with non-conference games against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/college-football\/florida-state-seminoles-team\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Florida State<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/college-football\/wisconsin-badgers-team\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Wisconsin<\/a> in the first three weeks, and then a balanced breakfast from Week 5 to Week 13 that begins at Georgia, vs. Vandy, at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/college-football\/missouri-tigers-team\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Missouri<\/a>, vs. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/college-football\/tennessee-volunteers-team\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Tennessee<\/a>, at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/college-football\/south-carolina-gamecocks-team\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">South Carolina<\/a> and ends with home matchups against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/college-football\/lsu-tigers-team\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">LSU<\/a> and Oklahoma. By then, we\u2019ll know who is playing for what in the Iron Bowl.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" data-v-8d19012c=\"\"><strong>[<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/stories\/college-football\/2025-college-football-rankings-rj-youngs-ultimate-136\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><strong>Check out RJ Young&#8217;s Ultimate 136 College Football Rankings here<\/strong><\/a><strong>]<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" data-v-8d19012c=\"\"><strong>Alabama Win Total Odds:<\/strong> Over 9.5 (-114) Under 9.5 (-106)<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" data-v-8d19012c=\"\">Have an issue with my rankings? Think your alma mater is too low, or your school&#8217;s rival is too high? Get at me on X, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RJ_Young\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">@RJ_Young<\/a>, and I&#8217;ll select my favorite tweets and respond to them in a future article.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" data-v-8d19012c=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/personalities\/rj-young\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">RJ Young<\/a> is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him at <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RJ_Young\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">@RJ_Young<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p> FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience      <\/p>\n<p>\n        recommended\n      <\/p>\n<p> Arrow pointing to the leftArrow pointing to the right <\/p>\n<p>Item 1 of 3<\/p>\n<p>   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/NCAAFootball.vresize.160.160.medium.0.png\" alt=\"College Football\" class=\"team-logo\" width=\"80\" height=\"80\"\/> Get more from the College Football Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more     <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"RJ Young FOX Sports National College Football Analyst This isn&#8217;t your average college football ranking. My Ultimate 136&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":136411,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[1318,1317,1315,1316,62,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-136410","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ncaa-football","8":"tag-football","9":"tag-ncaa","10":"tag-ncaa-football","11":"tag-ncaafootball","12":"tag-sports","13":"tag-united-states","14":"tag-unitedstates","15":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115009042783838626","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136410","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=136410"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136410\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/136411"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=136410"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=136410"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=136410"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}