The renowned ESPN analyst and former quarterback was confident the Alabama Crimson Tide would take a step forward in 2025. His voice has always carried a certain authority in Tuscaloosa—not just because of what he says, but because of where he’s been. Under the legendary Nick Saban, the QB helped guide Alabama through one of its most important transitions, from powerhouse-in-waiting to full-on national dynasty. With Alabama coming off a turbulent coaching change and retooling its roster in a post-Saban world, few are more locked into the program’s pulse.

On his Always College Football podcast, Greg McElroy made it clear—he’s buying Bama in 2025. The projected win total? 9.5. He’s pounding over.

Alabama shares that lofty projection with Georgia and Texas, which says a lot about how Vegas still views the talent and trajectory in Tuscaloosa. But McElroy isn’t just putting faith in the Crimson Tide out of loyalty. It’s a belief rooted in expectation, program culture, and a serious upgrade in identity post-realignment.

But it wasn’t just forward-looking takes that got people buzzing. Greg McElroy dropped a stunner from his own playing days—a championship confession that rewrote some of Bama’s emotional history. When asked about the biggest moment of his career, it wasn’t the national title game against Texas that topped his list. “Beating Florida would top beating Texas. We had no ill will at all towards Texas. We wanted to win but it was really more of a relief.” McElroy said via TDA. “Beating Florida was by far the bigger game.”

That Florida team was the mountain—the defending champs, the top-ranked juggernaut led by Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, and an aura that screamed invincibility. That SEC Championship in 2009? That was the real coronation. McElroy’s performance that night wasn’t gaudy, but it was surgical. He finished 12-for-18 for 239 yards and a touchdown in the 32–13 rout of Florida, a game that flipped the national narrative.

Alabama led from wire to wire, broke the Gators’ spirit, and secured a date with Texas in the BCS National Championship. And it was McElroy’s 17-yard touchdown pass to Colin Peek in the third quarter that essentially sealed it. The moment didn’t just send Alabama to Pasadena—it made the dynasty real. It made Saban a champion again. It made believers out of doubters.

Contrast that with his actual stat line in the national championship win against Texas: 6-of-11 passing, 58 yards, five sacks. Greg McElroy and the Tide did what they needed to, powered more by defense and a monstrous ground game than anything through the air. McElroy’s also no slouch when it comes to QB acumen.

As a seventh-round NFL Draft pick, College Football Hall of Fame inductee, and second all-time in Texas high school history with 56 touchdown passes in a single season, he’s lived the evolution of the position firsthand. That insight is part of what makes his outlook on 2025 Alabama resonate.

Greg McElroy’s all in for a big 2025

Greg McElroy isn’t mincing words when it comes to Alabama’s 2025 outlook—he’s fully on board the Crimson Tide hype train. Despite Kalen DeBoer’s rocky debut in 2024, the former Tide QB isn’t flinching. In fact, he’s doubling down on Alabama being back in the thick of it. “If I had to pick,” McElroy said, “I think I’d take ‘Bama on the over this year.”

So what’s fueling McElroy’s optimism? The schedule, Bryant-Denny’s home-field advantage, and DeBoer’s revamped roster all align perfectly. Alabama didn’t lose a single game at home last season—and McElroy thinks they can easily run it back. Another 7-0 mark at Bryant-Denny? Very doable.

The real test for Alabama will be their road games. Trips to Missouri, South Carolina, and the Iron Bowl at Auburn will prove their mettle, but McElroy isn’t concerned. In his eyes, this isn’t a rebuilding Alabama—it’s a sleeping giant stretching its legs. “Alabama’s schedule appears that it can get there, I like their chances.” Looks like it’s time to wake up the echoes in Tuscaloosa.