Phil Steele likes Alabama football heading into the 2025 season, but he favors six other teams even more.

Steele, who printed the 31st edition of his magazine this offseason, ranked the Crimson Tide No. 7 overall and No. 3 among SEC teams.

Ahead of Alabama in his overall preseason rankings:

1. Penn State
2. Clemson
3. Notre Dame
4. Texas
5. Ohio State
6. Georgia

Each one of those teams made the College Football Playoff during the 2024 season. Alabama did not. The Buckeyes are defending national champions, and the Bulldogs are defending their SEC title.

However in 2025, Steele sees the Crimson Tide as “a legitimate national title contender.”

Behind Alabama are Oregon, Oklahoma, Michigan, LSU, SMU, Baylor, Miami and Boise State in Steele’s top 15.

Georgia is the only team ranked ahead of Alabama that the Crimson Tide will face in the regular season this year. Alabama will travel to Athens, Georgia to face the Bulldogs on Sept. 27.

Kalen DeBoer enters his second season leading the Crimson Tide. He finished 9-4 his first season with a loss to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl. DeBoer and company aim to make the College Football Playoff after missing it in 2024. DeBoer at Washington and Alabama under Nick Saban each made the four-team College Football Playoff in 2023.

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.