Three Areas Where Alabama Must Improve Before College Football Playoff

The Crimson Tide has showed that it can compete with and beat some of the best teams in the country, but will the performance level in recent games be enough to win this postseason?

Alabama running back Daniel Hill runs along the sideline in the second half of the SEC Championship on Dec. 6, 2025. | Sarah Munzenmaier/Alabama Crimson Tide on SI

Alabama stumbled into the postseason, losing two of its last three games against FBS teams with a 23-21 loss to Oklahoma and 28-7 loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. Nonetheless, the Crimson Tide's resumé was still impressive enough to secure the 9-seed in the College Football Playoff and will face No. 8 Oklahoma for a rematch in the opening round on Dec. 19.

At times this season, Alabama looked like one of the best teams in the country. The Tide has one of the best wins of anyone with the road win at No. 3 Georgia back in September. Quarterback Ty Simpson was once a Heisman frontrunner when Alabama was in the middle of a four-game win streak against ranked opponents, but the redshirt junior has been struggling down the stretch with turnovers in seven of the last eight games.

Alabama has the talent to make a run in the playoffs and has already proven that it can compete with and beat some of the top teams in the country. The team has also shown that it can beat good teams without performing at its best. In order for Alabama to win a game or two (or three) and potentially compete for a national title in Kalen DeBoer's second season,

1. Offensive line play

So many of Alabama's offensive issues start up front. Alabama has not been able to run the ball well all year and finished with negative rushing yards against Georgia in the SEC title game. Pass protection hasn't been great either as Alabama is ranked 86th in the country with 25 sacks allowed. It seemed like Simpson was being pressured almost every time he dropped back to pass going up against the Georgia defensive front.

Alabama has been dealing with some issues on the offensive line with center Parker Brailsford not at full health according to DeBoer. Guard Geno VanDeMark has also missed time with injury. Regardless of who is available for the CFP, the play has to be better overall. Of course, there needs to be improvement from Simpson and all of Alabama's running backs, but help from the line will only make the other units on offense better.

It won't be an easy task for Alabama. Oklahoma has one of the best defenses and defensive fronts in the country, and the Sooners successfully sacked Simpson four times in the previous meeting. Every team in the playoff will have talented defenders that can cause havoc. How well can Alabama handle it?

2. Turnovers

When things were going well for Alabama, the Tide was dominating in turnover margin. Or in games where the Crimson Tide wasn't at its best like South Carolina or Auburn, the ability to force the timely turnover late in the game helped secure Alabama victories.

Generally, Alabama's defense has been really good at forcing turnovers under Kane Wommack. However, both times this season that Alabama hasn't forced a turnover (Oklahoma and SEC championship), the Crimson Tide has lost.

Starting with Simpson, the offense has to do a better job of holding on to the ball and making good decisions. The offense has been struggling as a whole to move the ball and put points on the board, so turnovers have been a double negative for the Crimson Tide lately by taking away possessions while often giving the opponent good field position.

Winning the turnover margin is always a key to victory but will especially be crucial for the Crimson Tide if it wants to go far this postseason.

3. Special teams

Special teams miscues were costly for Alabama in both of its last two losses. Oklahoma beat Alabama by two points inside Bryant-Denny Stadium back in November, and Conor Talty missed a field goal at the end of the first half that could have been the difference. Ryan Williams fumbled a punt in the game, which set up a short field for the Sooners and their only offensive touchdown.

Similarly, Georgia was able to set up its first touchdown of the game in the SEC title with a blocked punt at the end of the first quarter. Up until that point, the Georgia offense had 21 total yards through its first two drives, and then got the ball on the Alabama 21 after the blocked punt.

Talty's field goal struggles have been well documented this season (13-of-20.) He stepped up big for Alabama in the Iron Bowl. Missed field goals, especially on the road, can be a big momentum swing for the other teeam. His confidence and accuracy will be needed by the Crimson Tide in the CFP.

Honorable mention: Get healthy

This is something that is out of the team's control and that they can't technically "improve" on, but it will be a big help for Alabama if running back Jam Miller, tight end Josh Cuevas and defensive lineman LT Overton are ready to play. The extra days off should also give banged up players like Brailsford and wide receiver Germie Bernard time to get better. Simpson said after the SEC title game that he is not hurt, but a little time off can only be a positive for him as well.