After narrowly avoiding losses to Georgia and South Carolina sandwiching an actual loss to SEC minnow Vanderbilt, Alabama suffered their second loss of the 2024 season at the hands of rival Tennessee at Neyland Stadium today.
Tennessee’s defense was hungry for the ball and Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe was happy to feed them, committing two back-breaking interceptions while completing 55.6-percent of his passes for 239 yards and one touchdown. The Tide’s running game was kept in check as nobody crossed 50 yards on the day. Tennessee’s ground game had no such issue as Dylan Sampson ran for 139 yards and two touchdowns – more than all of Bama’s backs combined – in a 24-17 Volunteers win.
With the loss to their Third Saturday in October rivals, Alabama have now done something that they haven’t done in 17 years. They have now lost multiple games before the month of November.
Alabama has 2 losses before November for the 1st time since 2007.
— Peter Burns (@PeterBurnsESPN) October 19, 2024
The last time that happened was back in Nick Saban’s first year at the helm. But that Alabama team barely had Saban’s footprint on it at all (and that Alabama team still found a way to beat a ranked Tennessee team for what it’s worth).
This Alabama team has the core of a team that was just in the College Football Playoff a year ago.
Fans were suspicious after the Vanderbilt loss but are now more certain than ever that head coach Kalen DeBoer is the problem, not the solution.
“Fire DeBoer please. This is so sad,” one user remarked on X.
“If not for Ryan Williams deboer has 3 losses on his record already, fire his (expletives), he’s (expletive),” wrote another.
“Im not suggesting that DeBoer be fired right now, but he’s not going to last. He is not an SEC caliber coach IMO. #RTR,” a third wrote.
If Alabama loses one more game this season, DeBoer could be in serious trouble.
And heaven help him if one of those losses comes against arch-rival Auburn.
Related: Mark Ingram Not Pleased With Kalen DeBoer’s Play-Calling vs. Tennessee