One trend from Kalen DeBoer’s first year can not continue if the Crimson Tide want to continue to be the standard of excellence in college football.
The trend was a glaring one. Alabama simply lost three games it was “supposed to win.” This is where Nick Saban excelled, very rarely losing quote-on-quote trap games.
On the other hand, Alabama football won the games where it had the attention of the college football world in 2024. The Georgia and Alabama game was considered by some to be the game of the year, and it was highly anticipated. It lived up to the hype with the Crimson Tide jumping out, and the Bulldogs storming back. Alabama pulled off the win and looked like the favorite to win the National Championship after the victory.
The LSU game later in the season was hyped up as basically a playoff game. The winner would keep their playoff hopes alive and the loser’s playoff hopes would end. The Tide literally ran through the Tigers for a 42-13 win.
The Iron Bowl had its typical intensity of rivalry week with Tiger players adding some fuel to the fire by taking shots at Alabama. It was also clear a victory in the Iron Bowl would keep the Tide’s slim chances of making the playoff intact. Alabama beat Auburn in convincing fashion with a 28-14 victory.
The days leading to Alabama’s losses to Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Oklahoma did not garner the same amount of attention as the games mentioned previously. Vanderbilt came a week after the Tide defeated Georgia, and it appeared to be a David vs. Goliath matchup.
Tennessee had one loss next to its name, and the Volunteers were trending downward after barely escaping Florida. Oklahoma was hoping they could just become bowl-eligible after a disappointing season before beating Alabama 24-3.
Alabama lacked consistency in 2024 in many areas which contributed to the outcome of the season.
DeBoer’s second year in Tuscaloosa is now presented with the challenge of showing up every week.
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Justin Smith is the Director of Recruiting for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via @Jdsmith31Smith
