The Alabama Crimson Tide are back in Bryant-Denny Stadium for the final time in the 2025 college football regular season in Week 13.
Alabama (8-2, 7-1 SEC) hosts the Eastern Illinois Panthers (3-8) from the OVC-Big South Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (FBS) Saturday in Tuscaloosa.
Coach Kalen DeBoer’s team is coming off a disappointing 23-21 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners last week. Alabama committed three turnovers that led to 17 points. The Tide had a field goal partially blocked as time expired in the first half, and their final drive stalled near midfield as Oklahoma beat Alabama for the second year in a row.
Alabama’s struggles in the run game continued, with Jam Miller and Daniel Hill held to a combined 87 yards on 24 yards (3.6 AVG). Ty Simpson had an interception returned 87 yards for a touchdown, and he fumbled late in the third quarter. Simpson finished 28 of 42 for 326 yards and a touchdown.
Alabama fell six spots to No. 10 in this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll and updated CFP rankings.
Eastern Illinois will play its final game of the 2025 season in Tuscaloosa. The Panthers suffered their sixth straight loss in Week 12, 42-12 to Lindenwood.
‘College GameDay’ announces Week 13 location, sparking controversy https://t.co/AvqAcGd7B7pic.twitter.com/QJtbcniVXL
— Roll Tide Wire (@RollTideWire) November 18, 2025
ESPN predicts blowout for Alabama football against Eastern Illinois
Ahead of Alabama-Eastern Illinois, ESPN’s Bill Connelly predicted the final score using his popular SP+ metrics. Unsurprisingly, Connelly has the Crimson Tide defeating the Panthers by a wide margin.
His final score prediction: Alabama 61, Eastern Illinois 0.
Connelly gives the Crimson Tide a win probability of 100%.
Alabama and Eastern Illinois are meeting for the first time in series history Saturday in Tuscaloosa.
WEEK 13 SP+ PICKS
Oregon 33, USC 23
OU 27, Mizzou 22
Horns 33, Hogs 23
BYU 29, Cincy 25
Duke 29, UNC 23
SMU 28, Louisville 25
Vols 33, Gators 23
Cal 28, Stanford 21
Irish 44, Orange 11
A&M 75, Samford 0 😳A 33-23 kind of week, apparently. FULL LIST: https://t.co/sMX7OvH3egpic.twitter.com/a5q6shZZpN
— Bill Connelly (@ESPN_BillC) November 16, 2025
Where Alabama football sits in ESPN SP+ rankings after Oklahoma loss
Alabama is No. 11 in the overall ESPN SP+ team rankings, the same spot as last week. The Crimson Tide have an overall rating of 19.9, which is tied with the Miami Hurricanes. Alabama is one spot ahead of Oklahoma (19.2), which beat Alabama in Week 12.
To break down the numbers by units, SP+ gives Alabama a 35.3 rating on offense (No. 19 nationally), and a 15.1 rating on defense (No. 7), which is up three spots from last week after holding the Sooners to 212 yards of total offense. In special teams, Alabama is given a -0.3 rating, which ranks 96th nationally.
Alabama football’s updated strength of schedule ranking in ESPN SP+ after Oklahoma loss
In ESPN’s résumé SP+, Alabama has the nation’s 10th best strength of schedule, one spot behind the Arkansas Razorbacks and one spot ahead of the rival Auburn Tigers.
In the overall résumé SP+ ratings, Alabama is No. 15 nationally with a rating of -21.6. The Tide are one spot behind the USC Trojans (-21.3) in the résumé SP+ numbers.
What are ESPN SP+ rankings?
According to Connelly, SP+ is “simply a measure of the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football. If you’re lucky or unimpressive in a win, your rating will probably fall. If you’re strong and unlucky in a loss, it will probably rise.”
“SP+ is not a résumé ranking, so it does not automatically give credit for big wins or particularly brave scheduling — no good predictive system does,” he adds.
Alabama football vs. Eastern Illinois start time, channel
Start time, TV channel, announcers for Alabama football vs Eastern Illinois in Week 13 https://t.co/eUdtxJ7Fe3pic.twitter.com/6XhHiACbwR
— Roll Tide Wire (@RollTideWire) November 20, 2025
Kickoff for Alabama-Eastern Illinois in Week 13 of the 2025 college football season is 1 p.m. CT Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game will can be seen on ESPN+.
Alabama football schedule 2025
All start times Central.
- Aug. 30: at Florida State (L, 31-17)
- Sept. 6: vs. UL Monroe (W, 73-0)
- Sept. 13: vs. Wisconsin (W, 38-14)
- Sept. 27: at Georgia (W, 24-21)
- Oct. 4: vs. Vanderbilt (W, 30-14)
- Oct. 11: at Missouri (W, 27-24)
- Oct. 18: vs. Tennessee (W, 37-20)
- Oct. 25: at South Carolina (W, 29-22)
- Nov. 8: vs. LSU (W, 20-9)
- Nov. 15: vs. Oklahoma (L, 23-21)
- Nov. 22 vs. Eastern Illinois, 1 p.m., ESPN+
- Nov. 29: at Auburn, 6:30 p.m., ABC
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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama football vs Eastern Illinois final score prediction from ESPN
