They say a rising tide lifts all boats. Well, The Tide sure rose on the weekend. With their season hanging by a thread, Kalen Deboer oversaw his Alabama team(6-2) impose a shutout 34-0 win at home against ranked Missouri (6-2). Albeit, not all rose up in solace with them. As with most Bama fans, the onset of the DeBoer era, coming off the highs under Saban, has been underwhelming. One particular legend is still not sold on their potential resurgence.

In the latest iteration of the “Until Saturday” podcast, former Tide RB and 2-time national champion Damien Harris discussed the playoff landscape using co-host Chris Vannini’s projections. Within the 12-team bracket was no spot for Harris’ ex-team. As discourse around certain teams on the fringes of the CFP transpired, there was an underlying acceptance of Bama not quite being in the fray. Damien made no mention of the lack of Crimson in the picture that Vannini painted.

In a video posted on the podcast’s YouTube, Harris voices his concerns about independent Notre Dame, who some believe hold an unequal advantage in the new format, being in the predictions, stating, “It’s not easy for me to say they [Notre Dame] shouldn’t be in. That would be very biased of me. But we’ll see what happens whenever they get to the playoffs”. Other co-host David Ubben chimes in and outwardly states, “I don’t like them[Notre Dame] in the playoffs”, to which Harris grins and replies, “That’s what I’m [saying], that’s in the back of my mind]”. 

At no point in the conversation does Harris make a case for Alabama to be in the reckoning, and after he made his stance clear just last week, one would understand the hesitation.

In week 8, when Bama went to Tennessee and dropped a 2nd game in 3 weeks, panic stations were sounding all over. Damien Harris was no exception. Was Bama really gonna miss the playoffs in the first year of the expanded format and, more worryingly, directly after the GOAT retired? Harris sounded his concerns on a previous episode of the podcast and did not mince words.  

Damien Harris’ brutal assessment of team still casts a shadow over this win

“This is a very undisciplined, uncharacteristic, complacent, not-hungry team”, Harris stated after the Week 8 loss. Sheesh. Coming from a legend like Harris, that has got to be a resounding critique of the performances under Kalen DeBoer. But there was a silver lining. “I don’t even think this loss completely knocks their chances of getting into the playoffs.​​ They still realistically have a chance,” said Harris.

DeBoer’s team did show up in week 9, comfortably trouncing a struggling Missouri team. However, that did not lead to a massive jump in the AP Rankings. The team is still out of the Top 12. 

However, did Harris think the team turned a page after they blew out Missouri? It doesn’t appear he did, and it seems like winning his trust back will require more than just one win. But an opportunity does present itself in a fortnight. 

Bama, freshly rejuvenated off a bye this week, will take on SEC rivals and playoff aspirant LSU (6-2) away at Tiger Stadium in their next game. That game promises to be the final nail in the coffin of one of these programs’ CFP hopes. A win for DeBoer would be a massive statement. Harris and fans alike will hope that the Tide truly rises when they enter the storm in a couple of weeks.