Alabama supporters must realize that the Kalen DeBoer era will not be as successful as Nick Saban’s.

Alabama supporters must realize that the Kalen DeBoer era will not be as successful as Nick Saban’s.

It’s a new year, and Alabama football is facing a new reality.

After debates about whether Alabama deserved a spot in the College Football Playoff over teams like SMU or Indiana, the Crimson Tide spent New Year’s Eve providing a clear answer. Alabama, heavily favored, lost to Michigan, a team it was expected to dominate. The Tide had been 17-point favorites over Michigan, just as they were double-digit favorites against Oklahoma and Vanderbilt earlier in the season, yet the results were the same—disappointing losses.

Critics and fans alike have used this latest defeat as ammunition to justify Alabama’s exclusion from the playoffs, even though most of the noise advocating for their inclusion didn’t originate from Alabama itself.

The real takeaway from this season, however, is that the Alabama dynasty as we knew it under Nick Saban is no longer the dominant force it once was. Under Saban, the Crimson Tide boasted a 135-3 record as a 14-point favorite or more. This season, under first-year head coach Kalen DeBoer, they went 6-3 in the same scenario.

This isn’t necessarily a critique of DeBoer. Replacing a legend like Saban is an unenviable task, and the challenges of maintaining elite success in today’s era of the transfer portal and NIL have made it even harder to dominate consistently. DeBoer now faces the reality of coaching a program with towering expectations and fans who still vividly remember Saban’s greatness, reinforced every time he appears on TV.

While Alabama remains one of college football’s premier programs, this season serves as a reminder that no team, not even Alabama, can sustain perfection indefinitely. The Tide will still recruit top talent and contend for SEC and playoff titles, but some seasons will inevitably include three or four losses.

The question is whether Alabama fans will accept this reality during DeBoer’s tenure or after it.

No. 5 Alabama has little trouble putting away South Carolina

Field Level Media

Jan 8, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Jamarii Thomas (6) and guard Zachary Davis (2) defend Alabama Crimson Tide guard Mark Sears (1) in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Mark Sears finished with 22 points and six assists to lead No. 5 Alabama to an 88-68 victory over host South Carolina on Wednesday night in a Southeastern Conference matchup in Columbia, S.C.

The Crimson Tide (13-2, 2-0) won their seventh in a row overall and 10th in a row against the Gamecocks (10-5, 0-2), who dropped their second consecutive game.