Alabama was the No. 1 CFB team entering Saturday’s game against a relatively easy opponent – Vanderbilt. Besides, they had QB Jalen Milroe who beat the projected No. 1 NFL Draft pick Carson Beck and No. 2 Georgia in their previous game. With that, his hype shot up to put him in the top spot for the Heisman Trophy. But all the good piles of things came crashing down after their shattering defeat from the Commodores. 

Like everybody else, Stephen A. Smith is disturbed beyond belief that Alabama just lost to a 22 ½-point underdog. Following this national headliner SEC upset, he blurted some rough words for Jalen Milroe on his First Take appearance posted on YouTube by ESPN College Football on October 8. He bluntly said, “I don’t care if this costs Jalen Milroe the Heisman. I don’t care. Guess what! You got a loss to Vanderbilt on your resume, you better run the table for even consideration for the Heisman after losing a game like this.” 

Jalen Milroe may have handled his business by winning against No. 2 Georgia after Smith’s challenge to shut him up. Entering the Vanderbilt game on Saturday, the Bama QB was the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. Little did he know that this upset loss would cost him the top spot as he fell to the fourth spot with +1100. Still, despite Smith’s strong disbelief in his chances of ever climbing back up from this humiliating defeat, he could still make up if he avoids more losses. 

Jalen Milroe didn’t play his best in the last game as he received pressure from the Commodores with two sacks. He completed 18 of 24 passes for 310 yards and a touchdown in the 40-35 upset. While this loss dampened Milroe’s Heisman hopes, there is someone else who’s in a bigger mess than him. 

Stephen A. Smith blames Kalen DeBoer for Vanderbilt loss

After spitting his opinions of Jalen Milroe’s performance against the Commodores, Stephen A. Smith lunged at HC Kalen DeBoer as the “main culprit” because “that team wasn’t ready to play.” He recounted how Alabama struggled against Georgia in Week 4 with their defense giving up a 28-0 lead. He said, “You were lucky to win that game and then to come back out after that and let Vanderbilt, VANDERBILT, drop 40! Oh h— no!”

The extreme disappointed reactions from fans especially stemmed from the fact that Vanderbilt is one of the easiest SEC teams to play, just as former Alabama HC Nick Saban said before the upset loss. Besides, the last time the Crimson Tide lost to Vanderbilt was in 1984 until Kalen DeBoer’s first season in Alabama broke that 40-winning streak over the Commodores. The loss stained the Roll Tide nation’s confidence in their new HC but will they be better able to get back up from this setback to prove that it’s just one game?