The Kalen DeBoer era didn’t get off to the best of starts in 2024. The Crimson Tide lost four games in the first year of the post-Nick Saban era, the most they have lost in a single season since Saban’s first year in Tuscaloosa (2007).

As you can imagine, “transition” is a four-letter word at Alabama. For that reason, DeBoer enters the year on the hot seat after the Crimson Tide did not make the College Football Playoff in the first year of the 12-team format.

Yet, oddsmakers think DeBoer will be on safe ground by the end of the year: Alabama is in the top-10 in the latest CFP National Championship odds. So what to make of this version of the Tide?

Let’s take a look at the latest Alabama college football futures odds and some of my favorite bets to make before fall practice kicks off on July 30 (exactly one month before the season opener at Florida State).

Alabama Crimson Tide futures bets to make now

• Alabama Win Total: Under 9.5 (+105) at DraftKings Sportsbook
• Alabama to make the College Football Playoff: Yes (-170) at bet365 Sportsbook
• Alabama to win the SEC: +500 at BetMGM Sportsbook
• Alabama to win National Championship: +1200 at Caesars Sportsbook
• Ryan Williams to win Heisman Trophy: +4000 at FanDuel Sportsbook

Crimson Tide Under 9.5 wins

(+105) at DraftKings Sportsbook

The last time Alabama failed to reach double digit wins for two consecutive seasons was 2006 and 2007. This was the final year of the Mike Shula era and the first year of the Nick Saban era. It’s fair to say that double digit victories have become an expectation in Tuscaloosa.

The biggest question for the Crimson Tide entering training camp is who will win the starting quarterback job. Jalen Milroe was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks, leaving behind a massive hole that will be filled by either redshirt junior Ty Simpson, redshirt sophomore Austin Mack or true freshman Keelon Russell. The three have combined for zero collegiate starts.

Outside of that, it’s a typical Alabama team that we have gotten accustomed to. They have a star-studded defense. According to PFF rankings, they’re the only team in the country with a top-10 unit at all three levels of the defense. Additionally, they return one of the top offensive lines and a great collection of skill players, headlined by electric wide receiver Ryan Williams.

Alabama’s schedule this season features out-of-conference games at Florida State and against Wisconsin. Also on the schedule are visits to Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina and Auburn. The Crimson Tide will play host to Tennessee, LSU and Oklahoma.

It’s a typical gauntlet of an SEC schedule, and it’s too easy to find three losses for me. Maybe under Nick Saban, I’d have more confidence in Alabama’s ability to navigate the schedule, but it’s a tough ask for a team who doesn’t know who will start under center a little more than a month before kick-off.

Alabama to make the college football playoff

Yes (-170) at bet365 Sportsbook

Despite missing the College Football Playoff last season, Alabama is a rather strong favorite to get into the dance in Kalen DeBoer’s second season.

Alabama has the seventh best odds to make the playoffs behind Ohio State, Penn State, Texas, Oregon, Georgia and Clemson. It’s hard to envision a world where Alabama misses the postseason for a second consecutive year, especially when we saw last season that three loss teams can get in.

With this market, you can also bet on the other side. If you want to bet Alabama to miss the playoffs, you can get +140 odds at bet365.

Alabama to win the SEC

+500 at BetMGM Sportsbook

The Crimson Tide are widely considered the third most likely team to win the SEC behind Texas and Georgia. Those two teams met in the SEC Championship game last season, and most are expecting a similar result this season.

Texas should be even better with star prospect Arch Manning taking over for Quinn Ewers at quarterback. Georgia has taken over as the most consistent team in the SEC, appearing in the championship game in seven of the last eight years.

Of course, Alabama still wants to believe they are the cream of the crop in the conference. If you believe that as well, you can get a nice payout at 5-to-1 odds.

Alabama to win the National Championship

+1200 at Caesars Sportsbook

In most years, Alabama would be on a two or three team shortlist as teams most likely to win the college football national title. This year, they’re in the same tier as schools like Clemson and Notre Dame and a clear rung below the true national title favorites.

Texas, Georgia, Penn State, Oregon and Ohio State all have odds of lower than 10-to-1 to win the National Championship this year. It’s rare to see Alabama missing from the top tier of teams, but here we are. Bettors who disagree can try and take advantage of the 12-to-1 odds available.

Ryan Williams to win Heisman Trophy

+4000 at FanDuel Sportsbook

It might seem like a waste of time and money to bet on a wide receiver to win the Heisman Trophy, but we’ve seen in recent years that it isn’t only a quarterback award. Travis Hunter and DeVonta Smith have both won the award playing the wide receiver position.

In a year where names like Drew Allar and Cade Klubnik are getting Heisman hype, it might be another year to potentially fade the quarterback position.

While a lot of attention is focused on Jeremiah Smith at Ohio State, the Crimson Tide have a young receiver who might be just as good. His 865 receiving yards ranked behind only Smith for totals posted by a true freshman over the last three years.

He was just 17 years old last season and is already the second best receiver in the sport. At 40-to-1 odds, he’s worth a Heisman bet.

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