Alabama bowl game projection: Will Kalen DeBoer's team take forward Nick Saban’s legacy?

The Alabama Crimson Tide will begin their first season under new head coach Kalen DeBoer in the coming months, following the retirement of the legendary Nick Saban.

The Crimson Tide won six national titles under Saban during his 17 seasons as the team's head coach. Now that Saban's era is complete in Tuscaloosa, the pressure is on DeBoer to continue the program's winning culture.

The Alabama roster is loaded with talent for the 2024 season, and they have all the necessary tools to continue Saban's legacy. They are good enough to make a bowl game or a second consecutive appearance in the College Football Playoffs.

This season, the SEC will expand as the conference welcomes Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12. Both of these teams will add an additional hurdle for SEC teams this season.

Alabama does not have a meeting with Texas scheduled during the regular season, but they are set to face Oklahoma on November 23.

The strength of the Crimson Tide starts with their star quarterback, Jalen Milroe, who returns for his fourth season with the team. Milroe earned second-team All-SEC honors last season and finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting.

He will be among the favorites to win the Heisman in 2024 if he can find anywhere near the same amount of success he had last season. Milroe finished his 2023 campaign with 2,834 yards and 23 touchdowns with six interceptions.

Kendrick Law returns at receiver, along with Kobe Prentice, after combining for over 400 yards last season. Germie Bernard will be the biggest addition to the receiving core after following DeBoer to Tuscaloosa from Washington.

Bernard finished with 419 yards and two touchdowns last season during the Huskies' run to the national title game.

Top recruits Ryan Williams and Caleb Odom could also earn playing time as true freshmen and potential weapons on the outside. Williams is ranked as a five-star recruit by 247Sports, and Odom is a four-star recruit from Carrollton, GA.

The top-notch offense line protecting Milroe will be just as important for the Crimson Tide in 2024. Parker Brailsford, Tyler Booker and Jaeden Roberts are among the top offensive linemen in the nation and will be tasked with protecting the Tide's star quarterback.

Although they added a ton of talent at receiver, they lost their top three pass catchers from last season. Jermaine Burton led Alabama with 798 receiving yards and eight touchdowns last season and was the 80th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Crimson Tide will also be without TE Amari Niblack and WR Isaiah Bond this season, who combined for over 900 yards receiving in 2023. Both players entered the transfer portal this offseason and will dawn the burnt orange at Texas in the upcoming season.

The Tide will also lose their top two rushers from the 2023 season, as Jam Miller and Justice Haynes will take over in the backfield this season. Last season's leading rusher, Jase McClellan, was a 2024 NFL Draft selection by the Atlanta Falcons. Roydell Williams entered the transfer portal and is on his way to Florida State.

Getting the running game going with Miller and Haynes will be vital to the Crimson Tides' success this season. If those two can split carries and run the ball efficiently, it will open up the play action for Milroe to carve up defenses in the pass game.

The defense at Alabama also has a number of key returning players and promising additions for the upcoming season. CB Domani Jackson will join the Crimson Tide secondary after two seasons at USC.

Keon Sabb is another key transfer portal addition to the defensive backfield at SS after two seasons with the Michigan Wolverines.

FS Malachi Moore returns for a fifth season at Alabama as one of the leaders of the defense. Zabien Brown, Zavier Mincey and Jaylen Mbakwe also join the secondary, and each is a top-five recruit at their respective positions, according to 247Sports.

The defensive line and linebacker groups feature many top returning players, such as Jaheim Oatis and Deontae Lawson. Texas A&M transfer LT Overton was a massive addition to the defensive line, with 48 total tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss in two seasons with the Aggies.

Alabama Bowl game projection in 2024

NCAA Football: SEC Football Championship-Georgia at Alabama [IMAGN]

The Alabama Crimson Tide are expected to take a slight step back this season as they undergo a head coaching change for the first time since 2007. However, the team still has an abundance of talent on both sides of the ball and should be among the teams that can once again compete for an SEC championship.

The Tides' schedule includes a meeting with the Badgers in Wisconsin, which will be a challenge early in the season. They also host Georgia late in September, which could have massive playoff implications.

The middle of their schedule contains matchups against Tennessee and Missouri in consecutive weeks, followed by a bye week. Their season resumes after the bye week with a matchup against LSU at home on November 9.

They close their regular season with Oklahoma, followed by the Iron Bowl at home against Auburn.

With the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams this year, it is highly likely the Crimson Tide can finish within the teams to earn a spot in the playoffs.

If Alabama can make an appearance in the playoffs, they'll have a good chance to make a deep run. This will be with help from the experience of players who were on the roster during their run to the Rose Bowl semifinal game in 2023.

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