$87 million head coach flirts with hot seat in College Football Playoff

The 2025 college football season is quickly nearing a conclusion.

70 college football programs accepted bids to bowl games to be played from mid-December through the first two days of January. The College Football Playoff committee selected 12 teams for the 2025 edition of the College Football Playoff on Sunday.

The 2025 College Football Playoff will begin on Dec. 19 when No. 9 Alabama (10-3, 6-2) travels to Norman, Oklahoma, to face No. 8 Oklahoma (10-2, 6-2) in Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (8 p.m. EST, ABC).

The matchup will be an opportunity for the Crimson Tide to avenge a 23-21 loss it suffered to the Sooners in Bryant-Denny Stadium on Nov. 15. While the idea of avenging the earlier loss is important, more could be on the line for Alabama than its season.

Former Crimson Tide running back Damien Harris and former Crimson Tide quarterback AJ McCarron joined CBS Sports HQ to preview Alabama's rematch with Oklahoma on Friday. During the interview, Harris made it clear that a loss for the Crimson Tide would place head coach Kalen DeBoer's job in question.

"I think [Kalen DeBoer's] job is on the line with this game. This isn't the standard of excellence that is used to being had in Tuscaloosa."@DHx34 pic.twitter.com/xplVx08lvl
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) December 13, 2025

"When we're talking about the University of Alabama and the legacy that needs to be set and needs to be left, and Kalen DeBoer needs to put his own DNA on that," Harris said. "We're not seeing that right now. We're seeing a team with a lot of talent, lot of resources, lot of potential, but they just haven't lived up to the billing yet."

Harris played running back for the Crimson Tide from 2015-18, a period in which Alabama accumulated a 55-4 overall record, won two national championships and did not miss a national championship game under Nick Saban. He played five seasons in the NFL with the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills.

Damien Harris attempts to run through a tackle in the 2018 national championship game — Clemson defensive lineman Austin Bryant (7) brings down Alabama running back Damien Harris (34) to force a field goal attempt during the 2nd quarter of the College Football National Championship at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA Monday, January 7, 2019. Clemson Alabama College Football National Championship | BART BOATWRIGHT/Staff

Harris finished with 1,000-yard rushing seasons in 2016 and 2017 with the Crimson Tide. He ran for 876 yards in his final season as a part of a backfield that featured three other future NFL running backs in Josh Jacobs, Najee Harris and Brian Robinson Jr.

Saban's legacy as a six-time national champion head coach often drowns out what happened in his first two seasons in Tuscaloosa.

A November full of one-score losses made it so that Alabama needed an Independence Bowl win over Colorado to finish with a winning record in 2007. A perfect regular season followed by an SEC Championship loss to Florida and Sugar Bowl loss to Utah brought Saban's record to 19-8 after 2008.

2024 featured big wins at home and struggles away from Bryant-Denny Stadium, leading to a 9-4 finish in DeBoer's first year. The 10-win regular season, followed by an SEC Championship loss, has the Crimson Tide sitting at 19-7 overall under DeBoer in 2025.

Alabama pays DeBoer the seventh-highest annual salary in college football at $10.25 million. He would be owed $66.5 million should Alabama part ways with him after 2025.

Kalen DeBoer on the field before the 2025 SEC championship game. — Dec 6, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen Deboer looks on before the game against the Georgia Bulldogs during the 2025 SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images