Jan 10, 2021, is a date forever etched in CFB fans’ memories. It was on that very day, the Alabama Crimson Tide crushed Ohio State Buckeyes in a 52-24 historic feat. It’s time for Tide under their debut HC Kalen DeBoer to pester the Buckeyes a little more. But you might be wondering why we are at all interested in Ohio State Buckeyes now that the big day Alabama vs Georgia Bulldogs is lined up for the weekend, September 28.

That’s because everything is interconnected. Now that DeBoer aims to surpass Ryan Day in recruiting, his hunger to beat Kirby Smart and the Dawgs has become even more fierce. Will Alabama be able to pack the Bulldogs’ bags and send them home? Well, even a CFB analyst is absolutely sure about it.  

Kalen DeBoer is on a double mission this weekend

All eyes are on this Saturday! While Smart and Co. might be coming off as one of the big shots they are yet to crack the secret code to break their long history of loss against the Tide. As per records, while Nick Saban was at the helm in Tuscaloosa, Georgia went 1-5 against Tide. Not only that, they lost 8 out of 9 times during their face-off against Alabama. This made DeBoer employ some sly tactics making the most use of their legacy. The No.4 Alabama is set to host over 80 high recruits this very weekend.

Well, what better timing to woo them to be part of the Tide? Some of the notable names from the exhaustive list are ex-Pittsburgh Steelers CB Ike Taylor’s 4-star safety son Ivan Taylor, 4-star tight end Andrew Olesh, and 4-star LB Jaedon Harmon among others. If you think that DeBoer’s mission ends with defeating Georgia and reeling in the young blood, then you are mistaken. 

DeBoer must be shooting for the stars. For the 2025 recruiting class, Alabama holds the No.2 rank. And no brownie points for guessing who holds the top tank. It’s Day’s Buckeyes. The No.1 spot is too alluring for Kalen DeBoer to ignore. So he will be putting his blood, sweat, and tears into wooing the top talents this weekend. 

CFB analyst’s nod for Kalen DeBoer’s Tide

The 2024 season has been special for Alabama. Well, they are underdogs at home for the first time in a span of 17 years. But that’s not their only USP. While CFB analyst Rick Neuheisel is convinced about DeBoer’s caliber as he claimed “Alabama’s gonna be rocking and rolling,” he also came up with an interesting take. 

Neuheisel highlighted, “They’re the most explosive offense I think we’ve seen this year. 20 plays of 20 plus.” The notable names that would make DeBoer’s big dream come true are the freshman receiver Ryan Williams and Jeremy Bernard who has already worked under the Alabama HC’s scheme when he was in Washington. So no matter how great Smart and the Dawgs become in their game plan, “his Achilles heel has been Alabama…it remains that way.”

Now all this brings us to bigger calculations. Going by the numbers, Day has already reeled in four 5-star players, seventeen 4-stars and five 3-stars. If we pan our focus to Alabama, DeBoer’s squad now has four 5-stars, twelve 4-stars, and four 3-star athletes. After Saturday, looking for Alabama to remind Ohio State that ‘Roll Tide’ isn’t just a catchphrase!

Meanwhile, besides the pre-game scoops you are interested in about NIL and the NFL, you can look into the latest episode of the Think Tank podcast with Dawg Sanders.