Desmond Howard predicts Alabama won't make 2024 College Football Playoff

There’s no shortage of opinions surrounding how Alabama will perform this upcoming college football season. With some thinking the program will take a step back following the retirement of legendary head coach Nick Saban and others thinking the Crimson Tide will maintain their dominance.

College football analyst Desmond Howard made it clear how he feels about Alabama this season, asked by Get Up host Mike Greenberg if he believes the Crimson Tide will make the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff this upcoming season.

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“No,” Howard proclaimed. “We had to make our selections last week in Dublin and I have three teams from the SEC making it to the College Football Playoff, and Alabama is not one.”

“So I don’t think they’re going to make it. They’ll be on the outside looking in, they may be like the 13th, the 14th, or 15th team. But no, they’re not going to get in this year. Sorry about that, Paul,” Howard said to SEC Network host Paul Finebaum.

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There’s no question that Alabama will look different both on and off the field this football season. But they do return starting quarterback Jalen Milroe, one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the nation and overall athletes in college football. Who Finebaum believes will be the difference and reason why Alabama does make it to the CFP.

“Once and for all, the answer is yes. Not by much Greeny, but I think they are one of the last teams if they get in,” Finebaum said. “But they have a good enough team, especially because of Jalen Milroe, who you’re well familiar with, they’ve got some outstanding players on offense. Their defense is a little bit undersized from last year, but they will get in.”

Analyst Heather Dinich also disagreed with Howard, putting her faith in new Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer. Who joins the program after leading Washington to a national championship appearance last season and boasting an impressive 104–12 as a head coach in his career.

“I’m a believer in Kalen DeBoer, he’s won wherever he’s gone,” Dinich said. “I don’t think that Alabama is going to win the national title, but I certainly think that with Jalen Milroe back and DeBoer being able to work magic with quarterbacks, they can contend for one and get into the College Football Playoff.”

Alabama’s journey to the CFP starts this Saturday when Western Kentucky visits Tuscaloosa for a 7:00 p.m. kickoff in Bryant-Denny Stadium in a matchup airing on ESPN.