Is The Alabama Dynasty Over? One Analyst Thinks So

It's a year of transition for the Alabama Crimson Tide, starting the first year of the post-Nick Saban era. 

Every single season since 2008 Alabama has, at some point during the season, ranked first in the Associated Press poll. Saban won six National Championships, and from 2008-2023, led Alabama to a 199-23 record. Sugar Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl, Peach Bowl…the list of major bowl wins from the Saban era of Alabama is nearly endless.

Even in 2023, which was ostensibly a "down" year for Alabama, still resulted in another SEC Championship win over the Georgia Bulldogs and a last-second loss in the Rose Bowl to the Michigan Wolverines. Oh, and the Crimson Tide still pulled in the second-ranked recruiting class, with five five-star recruits. Again.

All that's to say that the program remains elite heading into the 2024 season. At least, on paper. But Paul Finebaum disagrees, saying that the Alabama dynasty is effectively over. And it was over even before 2023.

"We've seen Georgia win twice and Michigan win once since Alabama last won a National Championship," Finebaum said. "So yes, I would declare the dynasty done. It was done before Saban left. It's really done now that DeBoer is there."

DALLAS - Alabama Head Coach Kalen DeBoer speaking at Omni Dallas Hotel on July 17, 2024. Photo: Brett Patzke-USA TODAY Sports

Is Paul Finebaum Right About The Alabama Dynasty?

Everyone has a different definition of what a "dynasty" really represents. 

Is it winning consecutive National Championships? Is it winning several over a multi-year span and remaining in contention every year? Paul Finebaum appears to think that it's winning a title literally every single season.

Alabama has played in the National Championship game six times in the past nine seasons. If that's not a dynasty, what is? Yes, they haven't won each time they've made it, but that's how sports work. Elite teams are going to have roughly a 50/50 shot at winning against other elite teams. What might be even more impressive than the titles might be the fact that the Saban-era Crimson Tide won every single semifinal game they played in until 2023. And even then it came down to the last play in overtime. 

Yes, Kalen DeBoer is not Nick Saban. It remains to be seen what happens to the Alabama program under new leadership. But the foundation is there for Alabama to continue recruiting, and performing, at an elite level. 

With the expanded playoff, it'll be easier than ever for Alabama to continue playing in the biggest games. Though its brutal 2024 conference schedule will make that more difficult this upcoming season. Still, give it a few years before declaring one of the most dominant dynasties college football's ever seen is finished.