Alabama was not ranked among the top 25 college football teams in 2024, according to the Big Ten head coach.

It seems there might be some confusion in your request. Alabama, under Nick Saban, is typically one of the top teams in college football and is almost always ranked within the AP Top 25, Coaches Poll, or College Football Playoff rankings. If there were an instance where Alabama wasn’t ranked in the top 25 by a Big Ten head coach or any other rankings in 2024, this would be a rare and surprising occurrence given the program’s historical success.

To help clarify, I’ll explore the idea of Alabama being ranked outside the Top 25, why this could happen in theory, and how Big Ten coaches or others in the college football world might have assessed Alabama’s position in 2024 based on specific factors.

Alabama in 2024: A Year of Transition

In any given year, rankings are influenced by a variety of factors: team performance, star player development, key losses, injuries, and even off-the-field issues. In 2024, Alabama might have faced challenges that could have led to them being ranked lower than expected. These challenges could have included:

1. Quarterback Questions: If Alabama faced uncertainty at the quarterback position in 2024, it would likely affect their ranking. The Crimson Tide have traditionally been known for having elite quarterbacks, and a drop in the quality of play at this key position could cause struggles on offense.
2. Key Departures: Alabama has regularly churned out NFL talent, and if they lost a significant number of starters to the NFL Draft in 2024, this would have been a substantial factor in their ranking. Rebuilding around new faces could make it harder to maintain a top spot in the rankings early in the season.
3. Tough Schedule: In a scenario where Alabama’s schedule was particularly tough, they may have faced significant losses early, which could affect their rankings. A loss or two to top-tier programs could have dropped Alabama out of the top 25, depending on the nature of those games and the competition in other conferences.
4. Program Shifts: Changes in coaching staff or philosophy could have also had an impact. While Nick Saban has largely remained a constant presence, any changes to his coaching staff or philosophy could have created growing pains as younger players adapted to a new system.

The Influence of the Big Ten Head Coach’s Vote

If a Big Ten head coach—let’s say someone like Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh, Ohio State’s Ryan Day, or another influential figure in the conference—ranked Alabama outside the top 25 in the final 2024 Coaches Poll, it would be an interesting narrative. In the context of the US LBM Coaches Poll, coaches’ rankings often reflect their perspectives on a team’s performance, including their own biases, personal experiences, and knowledge of other programs.

There are a few ways in which a Big Ten coach could reasonably argue for Alabama to fall out of the top 25:

1. Bias Toward the Big Ten’s Strength: Big Ten coaches may be more inclined to rank their own conference highly, particularly if they believe that the strength of the Big Ten in 2024 surpasses the SEC. A coach like Ryan Day might argue that Ohio State or Michigan deserves to be ranked higher than Alabama based on their performance, head-to-head matchups, and conference dominance. With the rise of teams in the Big Ten and the increasing strength of programs like Penn State, Wisconsin, and others, a Big Ten coach might see Alabama’s position as being overstated.
2. Recent Performance and Comparison: Big Ten head coaches could point to Alabama’s 2024 record, particularly if the team struggled in big games or had a lackluster regular-season performance. If the Tide had losses to highly-ranked teams or failed to impress against mid-tier competition, Big Ten coaches might argue that Alabama didn’t deserve a high ranking in comparison to other teams that were more consistent or showed better performances over the course of the season.
3. Emerging Rivalries: As the college football landscape evolves, we’ve seen increased rivalry between SEC teams and Big Ten teams, especially as the Big Ten expands with new programs like USC and UCLA. Big Ten coaches, feeling the pressure to prove their conference’s strength, might have viewed Alabama’s status through the lens of conference competitiveness. If Big Ten teams were performing exceptionally well or dominating head-to-head matchups in non-conference games, a Big Ten coach could easily argue that their teams should be ranked above Alabama.
4. Injury and Depth Issues: If Alabama suffered significant injuries in 2024—particularly to key players like the quarterback, running back, or on the defensive line—a Big Ten coach might consider this when casting their vote. Injuries can disrupt a team’s entire season, and Alabama might have struggled to regain momentum after a critical loss.

The 2024 Coaches Poll and the Dynamics of Ranking

The US LBM Coaches Poll is an important metric for determining the relative strength of college football teams. Coaches from across the country—representing different conferences and programs—submit their rankings based on their observations, experiences, and expectations for each team. Their votes can reflect a combination of:

• Head-to-head matchups: If Alabama lost key games to teams in the Big Ten or other conferences, a Big Ten coach might lower their ranking of Alabama due to direct performance or perceived weaknesses.
• Conference dominance: Big Ten coaches may have placed more emphasis on the success of their own teams. For example, if Michigan, Ohio State, or Penn State were dominant in 2024 and Alabama had a few slip-ups, this could factor heavily into how coaches voted.
• Poll Trends and National Perception: Coaches also follow public opinion, and they may base their rankings on trends they see in national media or how other teams are performing in the same region. If the consensus was that Alabama wasn’t as strong in 2024, a Big Ten coach might feel justified in voting them lower.
• Strength of schedule and quality wins: Alabama’s schedule could also have influenced their ranking in 2024. If the Crimson Tide faced a particularly challenging slate of games and struggled in high-profile matchups, they may have fallen in rankings even if they performed well in lesser games. A Big Ten coach might have considered this when ranking Alabama.

Impact on the Rankings and College Football Playoff Picture

The final Coaches Poll ranking is crucial because it influences the College Football Playoff (CFP) race. While the CFP selection committee makes the ultimate decisions, the Coaches Poll plays a significant role in determining which teams are perceived as the best.

If Alabama was not ranked in the top 25 for the 2024 season, that could have significant implications for their CFP hopes. A non-top-25 finish would likely indicate a season of inconsistency or underperformance, making it harder for them to secure a playoff berth. It could also mark a shift in the college football hierarchy, especially if teams from conferences like the Big Ten were rising in prominence.