For the second straight year, Alabama's football season comes to an end at the hands of Michigan. An undermanned Wolverines squad took the ReliaQuest Bowl 19-13, giving fans all the ammunition they needed to blast Kalen DeBoer, Jalen Milroe and the entire SEC.

The biggest talking point entering the game was the laundry list of stars Michigan was missing in the game. Kalel Mullings, Donovan Edwards, Colston Loveland, Will Johnson, Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant and Josiah Stewart all sat out to prepare for the 2025 NFL Draft. The shorthanded nature of Michigan's roster gave fans more than enough reasons they needed to put Alabama on blast.

Critical fans could not decide whether to blame DeBoer or Milroe. The criticism was split nearly evenly on social media, with some criticizing both the coach and quarterback:

“FIRE DEBOER!! Send Milroe packing! WE NEED DABO!”

“Lmao if we had a real QB we might've won the whole thing again.”

Other fans slandered the SEC, citing the game as evidence of the conference's weak season. The conference sent three teams to the College Football Playoff — Georgia, Texas and Tennessee — but has been the subject of fan condemnation all year long due to each team's inconsistencies.

“Bama would be a 5-6 loss team in the Big 10,” one fan tweeted. “It just means more in the Big 10!”

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Kalen DeBoer, Jalen Milroe fall to Michigan football for second straight season

Michigan Wolverines linebacker Michael Barrett (23) sacks Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) in the second quarter in the 2024 Rose Bowl college football playoff semifinal game at Rose Bowl.
© Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

The other main story entering the game was No. 11-ranked Alabama's exclusion from the 12-team College Football Playoff. Many believed they deserved a nod over Indiana or SMU, both of whom suffered blowout losses in the first round, despite a three-loss season. Along with the depleted Michigan roster, the “snub” led to the Crimson Tide closing as a 16-point favorite in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

Regardless, the game quickly got out of hand in the first quarter. Sloppy weather conditions led to four first-quarter turnovers, three of them directly off the hands of Milroe. The potential first-round pick threw a dreadful interception in the flat on top of losing two fumbles, forcing Alabama into an early 16-0 hole.

Despite a valiant comeback bid, Alabama never led in the game. The game came down a fourth down in the red zone, and Milroe's final pass fell short with pressure in his face.

Along with Alabama, first-year head coach Kalen DeBoer also lost to Michigan for the second straight year. DeBoer led Washington to a runner-up finish in 2023, losing to the Wolverines in the National Championship Game.