Kalen DeBoer’s first season at Alabama didn’t go exactly as planned as the team finished 9-4 with a ReliaQuest Bowl loss to Michigan.

 

But, he knows what comes next in 2025. The Crimson Tide have to be better fast to measure up to the Alabama standard.

 

DeBoer recently talked about the opportunity for the entire Alabama program looking inward.

 

“Yeah, we know that we need to be better,” DeBoer said. “That’s the expectation I had, you know from day one is that we perform at a championship level, and we certainly fell short of that. Whether you’re 0-12 or 12-0 in a regular season, you know you’re always going to really critique and be detailed on how you got to improve. And I appreciate what our staff is doing, what our players are doing, to really look inward, work together and continue to move forward.”

 

There were some bad losses for Alabama, including to Vanderbilt and Oklahoma that really stand out. It all but ended their College Football Playoff hopes.

 

Of course, a sputtering offense in a postseason loss to Michigan didn’t inspire too much confidence. But Rome wasn’t built, or rebuilt, in a day.

 

“A lot of good things are already happening,” DeBoer said. “It already feels just a lot different internally as we turn the page into 2025, from the first team meeting, which was less than two weeks after our last bowl game. So, just excited about what’s happening. The work that’s being put in. Haven’t had a chance to be around the guys a lot, just because we’ve been on the road recruiting and only get a few days here, especially as a head coach, the only time of the year down in January to get out.

The University of South Carolina’s choice to make the October 25, 2025, game against the Alabama Crimson Tide their homecoming matchup has stirred debate among fans.

 

The University of South Carolina’s decision to make Alabama Crimson Tide their homecoming opponent on October 25, 2025, has sparked reactions from both fan bases.

Typically, homecoming games are intended as chances for the host team to achieve a favorable result, usually by choosing opponents that are considered less difficult. However, Alabama’s reputation as a consistently elite team makes this choice more complicated.

Alabama fans, especially, have voiced feelings of disrespect, viewing South Carolina’s selection as a slight against the Crimson Tide’s strength. This perception is intensified by the teams’ competitive history. In their latest matchup on October 12, 2024, Alabama triumphed over South Carolina with a close 27-25 win, secured in the final moments of the game.

 

When the shocking news of Nick Saban’s retirement broke, Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer and his team had to cope with their fair share of transfer portal exits While many programs benefited by stealing DeBoer’s roster, it was difficult for DeBoer to fill the roster gaps because the winter gateway window had already ended.

Amari Niblack, a tight end who left at that period, has chosen to use the transfer site once more. During his one season at Texas, the former Crimson Tide player caught just five catches for 33 yards.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound tight end, who was ranked No. 17 out of Florida and No. 146 in the nation in the 2022 recruiting class, became the tenth Texas player to sign up for the transfer portal after the Longhorns’ season ended in a loss in the college football playoff semifinals.

Robbie Ouzts and C.J. Dippre, Alabama’s top two tight ends this season, are leaving the team. Dippre, a former transfer from Maryland, had three receiving touchdowns and 782 receiving yards at the end of his career with 65 catches. Ouzts attended Alabama for all four seasons, hauling in 16 passes for 192 yards and three scores.

Josh Cuevas, who caught 16 receptions for 218 yards and a touchdown last season, will be the Crimson Tide’s go-to option.

All Crimson Tide is a contributing author. In addition, I write for LINKNKY, 90.7 for the capstone, and the Crimson White. In addition, I work as a radio producer at Tide 100.9 and a broadcaster on 90.7 the capstone. I provide play-by-play commentary for the football, basketball, and baseball games at Beechwood High School. At the University of Alabama, I am majoring in sports media while studying news media.

In the first-ever meeting of the top 10 teams in College Station history, No. 5 Alabama defeated No. 10 Texas A&M 94-88 on Saturday night, led by 27 points from Mark Sears and 15 from Aden Holloway.

The Crimson Tide (14-2, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) never trailed in winning their eighth straight game. Alabama ended A&M’s nine-game victory run, the longest by the Aggies (13-3, 2-1) since the 2015-16 squad won 10 consecutive.

Guard Zhuric Phelps led the Aggies w

 

ith 24 points. Texas A&M senior guard Wade Taylor IV missed his second consecutive game with an undisclosed injury. Alabama center Clifford Omoruyi missed the second of two free shots with 37 seconds remaining with the Crimson Tide leading 88-84. But teammate Chris Youngblood grabbed the rebound and hit both his free throws to give Alabama a 90-84 advantage. After Brian Williams (1995), Sears is the second player from Alabama to record 1,500 points, 300 assists, and 200 3-pointers in a career.

Texas A&M: The Aggies missed out on a comeback victory of 80-78 at No. 17 Oklahoma on Wednesday, and they could have won if they could have been respectable from the free-throw line against the Crimson Tide. The Aggies shot 58% (28 of 48) from the line, while Alabama was 27 of 40. Alabama: The Crimson Tide had won their last four games by an average of 25 points, but the Aggies put up a better fight and stayed in the game for the majority of the game, helped by a boisterous crowd.

With just under fifteen minutes left in the game, Holloway made a 3-pointer to give the Crimson Tide an eight-point lead after A&M’s Phelps missed a jump jumper, putting them ahead 56-51.

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In Tampa, Michigan and Alabama fans could be heard shouting “Go Blue” and “Roll Tide” as they made their way through the city ahead of the Reliaquest Bowl Parade.

TAMPA — The sight of blue and red around Tampa is no accident. Fans from Michigan and Alabama have taken over the city as their teams prepare for the Reliaquest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium on New Year’s Eve.

From the Riverwalk to Ybor City and all around town, supporters of two of the most successful college football programs could be heard shouting “Roll Tide” and “Go Blue” in all directions.

“We’re both from Michigan, lifelong fans, and we’re here to see Michigan beat Bama twice in one year, Go Blue,” said Michigan fan Denny Smolinski, who traveled to Tampa with his best friend.

“We definitely have some bad blood after last year’s Rose Bowl, so we’re expecting some tough play,” said Alabama fan Charlie Burnett, whose daughter is an Alabama student.

Many of the fans have relatives and friends participating in the game or related events.

“My brother is a senior, Joel Metzger, number 56, linebacker and special teams, from Michigan, and it’s his senior year, so I’m excited,” said Sarah Metzger.

“My daughter’s boyfriend, Robby Utes, plays for Alabama, number 45, so we came to support him,” said Tim Therell.

“One of my best friends’ daughter is on the dance team, she’s a junior, so we’re here to cheer her on,” said Michigan fan Peter Cassato.

For many students making the trip, it’s more than just another bowl game; it’s the final highlight of their college career.

“I’ve been to every home game and Big Ten Championship, so it’s a big deal to travel for the last one, and it’s a big one,” said Michigan senior Sydney Cole.

Local businesses in Ybor City welcome the extra out-of-state visitors the bowl game brings.

“It’s great to see so many different people coming in, it boosts the local economy,” said Taylor with Blind Tiger Coffee Roasters.

“We went to Columbia restaurant this morning, it was fantastic—great food, great atmosphere, and staff,” said Alabama fan Lilly Burnett.

But what everyone’s really looking forward to is a game filled with touchdowns.

“Winning is everything, but I’m still a fan, no matter what,” said Alabama fan Jerry Heckman.

Each fan has their own prediction for the final score.

“I’m picking Michigan, they’re 14-point underdogs, but they’re going to pull through,” said Peter Cassato.

“Alabama 42, Michigan 21,” said Tim Therell.

One thing all the fans can agree on is that the weather in Tampa is far better than back home.

“Michigan’s around 30 degrees, feels like 7 with the snow,” said Smolinski.

A pile of rubble is all that remains of the home Victoria Sowell once shared with her military veteran husband Casey and their two children.

 

Alabama will face Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl on December 31 in Tampa, Fla., raising the question: what exactly is ReliaQuest?

ReliaQuest is a cybersecurity company founded in 2007 by Brian Murphy in Tampa. As stated on the company’s website, its mission is to “make security possible.”

“By leveraging the power of our Security Operations Platform — ReliaQuest GreyMatter — along with our security expertise, customers gain enhanced visibility, the ability to confidently automate throughout the security lifecycle, and the means to effectively measure and manage risk for ongoing improvement,” according to the company’s website.

ReliaQuest became the title sponsor of the annual New Year’s week bowl game in Tampa in 2022, replacing the long-time sponsor Outback. The popular steakhouse had previously lent its name to the game, initially known as the Hall of Fame Bowl, from 1996 to 2022.

This will be the third time Alabama and Michigan have faced off in a Tampa bowl game. Michigan won 28-24 in the 1988 Hall of Fame Bowl, while Alabama won 17-14 in the 1997 Outback Bowl.

The 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl kicks off at 11 a.m. on New Year’s Eve at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, with ESPN broadcasting the game live.

 

In the summer of 2008, he walked into the courtroom with shackled wrists and ankles, anxiety clouding his thoughts. As he glanced up at the judge, he feared what would come next. He couldn’t comprehend how he had ended up here, just five years after starting as quarterback for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Now, he was a drug addict and dealer, facing a 5-and-a-half-year sentence on federal drug charges. His fate rested in the hands of Judge John England. The former football star’s future hung in the balance.

Brandon Avalos had exceptional talent. A standout in both football and baseball at the University of Alabama, the 2002 Hillcrest (Tuscaloosa) High School graduate seemed to have it all—until his choices led him down a destructive path that nearly destroyed everything.