Kalen DeBoer stepped into Alabama’s high-pressure environment the moment he took the reins from Nick Saban, and it hasn’t exactly been a honeymoon. He showed flashes of brilliance against Georgia, Auburn, and LSU, but losses against teams like Vanderbilt and Oklahoma didn’t sit well with Alabama’s fans, where the bar scrapes the sky. And that bowl loss to a depleted Michigan team didn’t help him either. Let’s not forget that after losing 30 players to the portal, DeBoer found himself digging out of a crater. He’s trying to build a new program from scratch, but only if misery stops hitting his run. The latest setback? Georgia’s kickoff time snub. Who saw that coming?

No one knows it better than Kalen DeBoer how important it is for him to give Alabama a playoff run this season. After finishing off with a 9-4 record, Bama’s first season with less than 10 wins since Nick Saban’s debut in 2007, DeBoer has a frustrated set of fans to tackle. And just when things were looking pretty solid with a new QB room and a new squad ready to make a splash, DeBoer’s team skips the $56 billion stage, which reflects doubt about the team’s current star power and, more importantly, DeBoer’s version of it.

And UGA Football on Dawg Post insider Dean Legge didn’t mince words before landing Kalen DeBoer with this tough reality check. “Georgia vs. Tennessee is going to be at 3:30; that tells you it’s the number two game of the weekend, and then the number one game of the weekend is Florida and LSU. That game is going to kick off, you know, on ABC at, uh, 7:30, so it’s Florida at LSU. That tells you right there, boom, right off the bat, they’re expecting Georgia to be a big deal just because of, you know, Alabama not certainly playing on ABC against a legitimate opponent,” Legge said. Alabama’s schedule that week lacks a marquee opponent; after playing Wisconsin on September 13, they have a bye week before playing Georgia.

Bama not getting a proper run slot in ABC isn’t just a scheduling thing—it’s a reputation hit. And it keeps getting worse. Georgia’s back in the spotlight, snagging more 3:30 PM kickoff times on ABC. Their annual clash with Florida in Jacksonville, a now-traditional afternoon matchup, leads the way. Then, Georgia faces Georgia Tech in Atlanta’s dome—also at 3:30. This surprised some who anticipated a night game, but Texas and Texas A&M’s revived rivalry claimed the Black Friday primetime slot.

With five Georgia games already set for 3:30, four on ABC, the message is clear: networks see Georgia as a must-watch team this season. And can we blame them? “Georgia being the probably third most watched program in the last 15 years behind Ohio State and Alabama,” Legge highlights. But let’s not forget Kalen DeBoer’s team still leads the charts. Let’s not forget their last season’s 41-34 victory against the Bulldogs averaged 12 million viewers on ABC and peaked at 14.1 million later on. That game became the most-watched regular-season prime-time CFB game since 2017. So, call it Bama’s history or the excitement of rivalry games; they never fail to bring views.

That’s what Legge is trying to say: “I mean, Alabama has a noticeable lead because they played in so many national championship games; whether they won them or lost them, those are games other people didn’t play, and so you’re getting 30 million people right there, or 25 million people, whatever it is that other people don’t get. You do that a few times, and you’ve got a massive lead.” But this lower viewership slot feels pretty weird. Well, if it’s because of Bama’s last year’s playoff snub then DeBoer pretty clear that last season was no walk in the park.

Kalen DeBoer’s clear mindset

Kalen DeBoer didn’t merely stir the pot; he turned up the heat considerably. The new Alabama head coach openly addressed the Crimson Tide’s absence from last season’s College Football Playoff, echoing the sentiments of many long-time fans. “You wonder what would have happened if other people would have played our schedule,” DeBoer said. Although his tone was even, the message was clear: Alabama had a brutal schedule, and other teams might not have endured it.

And that’s a straight up reply to Greg Sankey’s harsh verdict on Bama’s playoff snub last season. “I don’t know that I’d say surprised. I think that’s one of the realities,” Sankey said. “But I spoke in July at media days, asking how will a 9-3 team, and I used Georgia as a really good example given their three really difficult road games, how do you evaluate that against other teams that don’t come anywhere close to that?”

Alabama’s brutal schedule took its toll, but excuses won’t get you into the playoffs. Many saw Coach DeBoer’s comments as an attempt to downplay their three losses. While Alabama clearly had a tougher schedule, a stronger brand, and more talent than teams like SMU and Indiana, it wasn’t enough. The CFP committee doesn’t reward “almosts” or “what ifs.” Bama’s mistakes cost them, and even DeBoer had to accept that, regardless of their experience.

However, this year’s team feels different—intensely focused. Last year’s four losses fueled whispers of the dynasty’s end, but now, under DeBoer, Alabama is a well-oiled machine. Fan support, the roster, and recruiting are all revitalized. They’re not dwelling on the past; they’re forging a new legacy, one that needs no explanation come December.