Honestly, I’m not all that surprised by the result itself. I’ve always thought this Alabama team was comparable to the late-80s Denver Broncos: a good team, solid quarterback play, "win by the seat of your pants", but ultimately lacking the horses to beat truly elite, physical opponents. Tonight, Indiana was that elite, physical team.
I do think Alabama improved in 2025 compared to last year. The team was more disciplined, penalties were cleaned up, the defense was better overall, and quarterback play was more consistent, even if it wasn’t elite. Where this team was held back was painfully obvious: poor offensive line play, average to below-average running back production, and wide receivers who were solid but not game-changing.
My biggest disappointment isn’t the loss itself...it’s the optics. Alabama has been the gold standard of college football for the better part of two decades, and getting pushed around like that on national television is not a good look. That’s what fucking sucks yall.
As for CKD, I’ve been patient, and I still think he’s the right guy. But year three is where results start to matter more than explanations. If 2026 ends up being another 10-3 or 11-4 season with losses in the biggest games, then that’s no longer bad luck...that’s a trend. Winning games but not winning big games is something the head coach ultimately has to answer for.
My expectations for next year are simple and reasonable by Alabama standards. I want to see them competing for a national title. Ideally, that means winning the SEC. If they don’t win the SEC, then I want at least two playoff wins. What I don’t want to see are inexcusable losses (FSU) or getting embarrassed on big stages (SEC Championship or this afternoon's shit show). If that keeps happening into 2026, then DeBoer will have to take a hard look at what needs to change. Until then, I see this loss as disappointing, ugly, and unacceptable in presentation... sadly, this loss is not shocking given the offensive performances we've seen this past year.
