Alabama football dropped in the rankings after closing out the season with a loss to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

The final AP Poll was released on Tuesday after the Ohio State Buckeyes defeated Notre Dame in the national championship. Alabama finished the season ranked No. 17 after losing the bowl game, its lowest final ranking since 2007. Read More: Two Alabama Greats Snubbed From 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class

Last season the lowest Alabama football was ranked in the final US LBM Coaches Poll was No. 8 by then-Central Florida head coach Gus Malzahn. To end the 2024 season, the Crimson Tide finished much lower.

Alabama football landed at No. 17 in the final coaches poll top 25 of the 2024 season. The Crimson Tide finished off Kalen DeBoer’s first season 9-4 after losing the ReliaQuest Bowl to Michigan. Five coaches left UA out of the top 25 entirely. DeBoer, also a voter in the poll, put his team a bit higher than the average.

With the Buckeyes (14-2 overall) atop the final US LBM Coaches Poll, released Tuesday, the Alabama Crimson Tide and first-year coach Kalen DeBoer finished No. 17 — one spot ahead of Miami Hurricanes (10-3) at No. 18 and one spot below the Illinois Fighting Illini (10-3) at No. 16.