Alabama football walked off receiving the biggest stunner of Saturday. The No. 8 Crimson Tide not only fell 31-17 to unranked Florida State, but a large Kalen DeBoer issue surfaced.
DeBoer accepted the Crimson Tide opening following his national title game appearance with Washington after the 2023 season. He faced the daunting task of replacing Nick Saban. Especially attempting to add to the litany of national championships Saban helped pull in.
Saban delivered one astonishing mark in Tuscaloosa. But Brett McMurphy of On3/Rivals pointing out this alarming stat involving the DeBoer-led Crimson Tide.
“Since 2007, in games when Alabama was favored by at least 14 points: Nick Saban was 131-2, Kalen DeBoer is 4-4,” McMurphy posted on X (formerly Twitter).
That's right — DeBoer is .500 at ‘Bama when his team enters as a 14-point or higher favorite. He and the Tide took a massive upset last season against Vanderbilt. But the FSU defeat is on another level.
How major was Alabama loss to Florida State?
Alabama wasn't just heavily favored. The Seminoles were entering as a 13.5-point underdog. FSU drew in few believers. Lee Corso was one of the few calling upset, though. The revered ESPN college football analyst was the only College GameDay panelist to choose the Seminoles to beat ‘Bama.
Corso scored big on the final time he'll ever pick FSU. But Alabama hit different lows against FSU.
Star wide receiver Ryan Williams briefly left with what appeared to be a head injury. Ty Simpson struggled in his starting debut. He completed 23-of-43 passes for 254 yards and tossed two touchdowns. But he never completed a pass above 40 yards. Simpson fumbled the ball once and took three sacks.
Germie Bernard delivered the most explosive Alabama play — a 37-yard catch. Bernard caught eight passes for 146 yards.
DeBoer's offenses are known for explosive balance. But his scheme struggled in establishing the run. FSU didn't allow any Tide RB surpass 31 individual yards. Alabama averaged just three yards a carry.
The Tide watched Tommy Castellanos back his summer trash talk by scoring early. The Boston College QB transfer became a fan favorite by leading the ‘Noles to a long-awaited top 10 upset. Alabama, meanwhile, took a brand new step back under DeBoer.
