Alabama Crimson Tide 2023 Season Win/Loss Total

By Hank Blaine • August 24, 2023

Is the Alabama dynasty over? The Tide have now gone back-to-back seasons without winning the national title, which is significant in the Nick Saban Era. What to expect from the 2023 version? Trust me, Saban is happy to have the motivation for his players.

A Closer Look at the Alabama Crimson Tide 2023 College Football Season

Stacking Days pic.twitter.com/nt9s8aTyal
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) August 23, 2023

2023 College Football Win/Total Odds: Under 10.5 (-196) // Over 10.5 (+153)

Alabama Crimson Tide 2023 College Football Schedule

College Football Week 1: vs. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders — 7:30 p.m. ET (SECN)
College Football Week 2: vs. Texas Longhorns — 7:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
College Football Week 3: at USF Bulls — 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
College Football Week 4: vs. Ole Miss Rebels — TBA (TBA)
College Football Week 5: at Mississippi State Bulldogs — TBA (TBA)
College Football Week 6: at Texas A&M Aggies — TBA (TBA)
College Football Week 7: vs. Arkansas Razorbacks — TBA (TBA)
College Football Week 8: vs. Tennessee Volunteers — TBA (TBA
College Football Week 9: OFF
College Football Week 10: vs. LSU Tigers — TBA (TBA)
College Football Week 11: at Kentucky Wildcats — TBA (TBA)
College Football Week 12: vs. Chattanooga Mocs — TBA (TBA)
College Football Week 13: at Auburn Tigers — TBA (TBA)
College Football Week 14: SEC Championship — 4:00 p.m. ET (CBS)

2022 Wasn’t Their Year

Yes, the Tide lost two games last year, which is rare, but consider how they were lost. At No. 6 Tennessee, Alabama lost when UT’s Chase McGrath made a 40-yard field goal as time expired to end the Vols’ 15-game losing streak in the series. Hendon Hooker drove the Vols 45 yards in 13 seconds to set up the winner. A few weeks later, Bama lost 32-31 in OT at No. 10 LSU and that ended any shot Saban’s team had of playing for the SEC title. Tigers QB Jayden Daniels ran for a 25-yard touchdown in overtime and then found Mason Taylor for a do-or-die 2-point conversion. So two losses on walk-off plays.

The Tide closed the year with a 45-20 thumping of Big 12 champion Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl. Former Heisman Trophy winning QB Bryce Young threw for five TDs in his final college game. He is No. 2 all-time at Alabama in TD passes and threw for at least one in all 27 career starts. Young is now the starter for the Carolina Panthers as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

His replacement is yet to be known between Jalen Milroe, who was Young’s backup in 2022, Ty Simpson or Notre Dame transfer Tyler Buchner. During the 2022 season, Milroe had 263 rushing yards and a touchdown. Interestingly enough, he finished the season as the team’s third-highest rusher. However, he’s simply not very accurate as a passer. Buchner spent the past two seasons at Notre Dame. He played in 13 games and started three during his time with the Fighting Irish. Simpson is a redshirt freshman who attempted five passes last year.

With less than two weeks until the opener, Milroe still appears to be at the front of the pack and the most likely player to take the first snap at quarterback against Middle Tennessee. Where it goes from there will be determined by how Milroe plays as well as Simpson; Both will likely get time against Middle Tennessee. Buchner seems out of the race.

Changes Within the Team

Alabama did lose its leading rusher from a season ago with Jahmyr Gibbs going in the first round of the NFL draft to the Detroit Lions. However, his two primary backups, Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams, are back for their senior seasons. Justice Haynes is shaping up to be the best true freshman running back the Crimson Tide has had in years. McClellan likely will be the main guy. On 112 carries last year, he had 655 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. He also caught 14 passes for 174 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.

The new offensive coordinator is Tommy Rees, who formerly held the same job at Notre Dame. He succeeded Bill O’Brien after the former Houston Texans coach left to be the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots.

The Crimson Tide lost talent throughout the defense after the 2022 campaign, from linebacker Will Anderson to safety Jordan Battle. The line wasn’t an exception, with DJ Dale and Byron Young both gone. Still, the Crimson Tide return two starters in Tim Smith and Jaheim Oatis, and Justin Eboigbe is back after suffering a neck injury last year.

Kool-Aid McKinstry is one of the best defensive backs in college football and a future NFL first-round pick. The consensus No. 1 cornerback recruit in the 2021 class, McKinstry led the SEC in passes defended (16), didn’t allow a reception of 30-plus yards and gave up only two grabs of 20 yards or more in 2022. Kevin Steele is the new defensive coordinator. It’s Steele’s third stint at Alabama. He was the team’s defensive coordinator in Nick Saban’s first season in 2007 and returned to the team in 2013 as its director of player personnel.

During Media Days, Alabama was selected to win the West Division with 1,899 total points and received the second-most votes to finish as SEC champions at 165. Only nine times since 1992 (31 years) has the predicted champion prior to the season at SEC Media Days proceeded to win the SEC Championship Game. Overall, Alabama is No. 4 in AP Preseason Top 25, its lowest ranking to start a season since 2009.

The Tide might be tested at home on Sept. 9 vs. No. 11 Texas, but they get ranked Ole Miss, Tennessee and LSU in Tuscaloosa. Yeah, Bama goes to Auburn but the Tigers are rebuilding. At worst, this looks like an 11-1 team.

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