Alabama’s statement win against No. 2 Georgia yesterday brought much joy to the Tide as expected. The 3-0 Bama started off on a good note but was yet to test their potential in the SEC competition unless and until they toppled the Bulldogs with a dramatic 41-34 victory. Kalen DeBoer’s team was leading 28-0 after the first quarter but reached an edge to lose it all when they trailed by 33-34 with just 2:31 minutes left in the game. Thanks to the maturity and composure of the entire team, they were able to escape that pressure juncture with the wildest comeback. With this high-flying victory in front of a high-profile crowd counting, the rare presence of former US president Donald Trump made them an overnight sensation. Considering the frantic upturn as a game changer, ESPN gave them their flowers as the new top-ranked team in the AP Poll. However, it didn’t really sit well with the Texas fanbase for obvious reasons.

The abrupt change in the coaching figure (Kalen DeBoer’s takeover following Nick Saban’s sudden departure) at the start of 2024 put the team in huge jeopardy. To lose someone as legendary as Saban, the multiple national championship-winning coach, was never easy for the Bama locker room to accept. There were doubts, there was a whirlwind of emotion and, more importantly, there was a copious challenge for the former Washington coach not to disappoint the men in helmets and their proud cheerleaders from the gallery. Although the challenge is still very much on with a lot of the season left to be played, it is safe to say that Kalen DeBoer survived the primary stages of his lengthy scanning. The successful stand at the SEC opener was what the team needed to proceed deeper into a breakout season.

Starting from reading the players’ mindset as the ‘veteran’ newbie in the team to leading them in a rigorous training schedule, making important and accurate decisions in the field and pouring last-minute motivations into the squad veins, Kalen DeBoer has done his part as a coach, as a mentor. His mantra to be explosive, to be creative and to win up front worked wonders for the team. The scoreboard reflected the rest. As a result, the ESPN AP Poll took the Bama to the helm of the chart, replacing the Texas Longhorns.

Longhorns slipped just one spot, receiving 19 first-place votes compared to 40 for the Bama. The Texas coach, Steve Sarkisian, however, has made it a recurring theme for his team to care less about the numbers and rankings and less about giving their best on the field, and the fans have turned mad at the voters.

Texas Longhorns fans react to the top for Kalen DeBoer’s team

Texas Longhorns has been a top favorite to win the conference right from the beginning. Arch Mannings’ extraordinary performances and Sarkisian’s insightful guidance earned them their top spot in the AP Poll list. They carried the virtue forward through the 35-13 win against Mississippi State. But a phenomenal win for Kalen DeBoer’s Bama changed the entire trajectory. Fans can’t be more frustrated with this. One of them refused to acknowledge the hype around the Tide’s classy win against Georgia, opining, ”Wouldn’t say a massive win. They had a 28-0 lead and let Georgia come back to almost win. Should be #2 and Texas should still be #1.”

The No. 1 Texas Longhorns look their best against Mississippi State on Saturday. Not even close. Despite a fiery start, the momentum fizzled out with numerous mistakes. However, they were able to pick up a 35-13 win without much hustling. Also, their undefeated tag throughout the season was what fans highlighted to counter their drop in the ratings. ”They shouldn’t be #1 maybe #2 Texas didn’t lose or struggled.” wrote a fan.

The taunts against the Bama squad continue with comments like, ”Ah yes, Texas doesn’t lose, but loses the top spot after a Bama beats a team ranked behind them…”. Some of them even referred to Arizona’s top 25 elimination with a grain of salt, saying, ”How does Arizona get snubbed out of the top 25? How does that happen.”

These days, the poll rankings have been pretty volatile in nature, losing their weight, but fans’ sentiment knows no bounds and came out like the helpless sigh, ‘Jumping Texas is wild.’!