Alabama did not look like the Mighty Crimson Tide in its 31-17 week one loss to Florida State.
On Game Runs Deep, the reaction to Alabama’s performance was not just about one loss. It was about something deeper that has not been seen in Tuscaloosa in a long time.
The physicality was missing. The edge was missing. The dominance at the line of scrimmage that has defined this program for years just was not there. Missed tackles, poor angles, and a lack of intensity stood out in a way that would have been unthinkable during the Nick Saban era.
That is where the spotlight turns to Kalen DeBoer. Replacing a legend is never easy, and this was always going to be one of the toughest jobs in college football. DeBoer stepped into a situation where anything short of dominance would be questioned, but even with that context, the Tide’s performance against the Seminoles raised real concerns.
There are issues on the field. The defense struggled in a major way. The effort and execution were inconsistent, and there was nothing to hang your hat on. Offensively, there was no clear identity, and the playmakers did not step up the way you would expect from Alabama.
But there are also bigger picture questions. College football has changed. The days of one or two programs dominating the sport may be over. With NIL, recruiting parity, and more programs able to compete financially, the gap has closed across the board.
That means Alabama is no longer operating with a built-in advantage. They are competing on a more level playing field now, and the results are starting to reflect that. The expectation of being the clear top program every year may not match the reality of what the sport has become.
That does not mean Alabama is finished. There is still too much talent for this to be a lost season, and there is time to correct course, but it does mean the standard might need to be adjusted. Because right now, this looks less like a temporary dip and more like a program adjusting to a new era, and the rest of college football is catching up.