It’s a new era for Alabama football. Kalen DeBoer is the head coach, the first time in 17 seasons where Nick Saban hasn’t held that position.

The man who won six national titles in Tuscaloosa might be gone, but the preview magazines haven’t lost hope in the Crimson Tide. Lindy’s still predicted UA will be a top-10 team, and Athlon Sports was no different in its 2024 preview, grading the DeBoer hire as an A+.

Athlon slated the Crimson Tide as the No. 6 team nationally in its preseason top 25. It projected Alabama behind three other SEC teams in that group, all led by former Saban assistants, putting Kirby Smart’s Georgia No. 1, Steve Sarkisian ‘s Texas No. 4 and Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss No. 5.

The magazine also placed Ohio State (No. 2) and Oregon (No. 3) ahead of Alabama. Michigan was one spot behind the Tide in seventh, with Penn State, Notre Dame and Missouri rounding out the top 10.

In its College Football Playoff and bowl projections, Athlon had the Tide as the No. 8 seed, facing No. 9 Michigan in a Bryant-Denny Stadium rematch of the 2023 Rose Bowl, which the Wolverines won in overtime. The magazine projected Alabama to beat UM this time around, before falling to Georgia, which it pegs as the eventual national champion, in the Sugar Bowl quarterfinal.

In its SEC preview, Athlon placed the Crimson Tide fourth in the league, behind Georgia, Texas and Ole Miss. It projected Georgia to beat Texas in the SEC title game.

Three Alabama players were named preseason first-team all-SEC by the magazine. Offensive lineman Tyler Booker, defensive back Malachi Moore and punter James Burnip all got the nods, with former Crimson Tide wideout Isaiah Bond, currently at Texas, also making the cut.

Athlon’s all-American teams included a healthy number of selections from the Crimson Tide’s likely starting lineup. Booker and kicker Graham Nicholson, who transferred in from Miami of Ohio this offseason, both made the first team.

Burnip was the lone Alabama representative on the second team, with Moore and quarterback Jalen Milroe on the third team. The magazine was kind to Milroe in other areas as well, listing him as a first-tier Heisman Trophy contender in his first season under DeBoer, who helped turn Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. into a finalist for the award last season.

Alabama is scheduled to begin the 2024 campaign on Aug. 31 at Bryant-Denny Stadium against Western Kentucky.