Kirk Herbstreit did not hold back in his criticism of the Alabama Crimson Tide and head coach Kalen DeBoer following their recent loss in the College Football Playoff (CFP) to the Indiana Hoosiers. The No. 9 ranked Alabama entered their Rose Bowl quarterfinal game as underdogs, but the contest quickly turned into a one-sided affair. Alabama found themselves trailing 17-0 at halftime and ultimately faced a crushing defeat with a final score of 38-3.
This loss concludes DeBoer”s second season in Tuscaloosa, a campaign that included notable achievements such as making it to the 12-team College Football Playoff. However, the performance in this game fell short of the high standards that Alabama has maintained for over a decade under former head coach Nick Saban.
During the broadcast, Herbstreit expressed his disappointment with Alabama”s performance, particularly in the first half and again in the fourth quarter when the team was down by 28 points. “It feels like Alabama—it”s just strange to see,” he stated when the Tide was down 17. “They”re just existing. They”re just out there. Nobody is penetrating. Nobody is playing with any fire. It”s almost like they feel defeated, like there”s nothing we can do. Nobody is making an impact play, or even trying… Hands on their hips. They”re just kind of out there.”
As the game progressed, Herbstreit further commented, “Bama has definitely hurt themselves as far as their reputation on this big stage—not just this year, but overall.” Despite Alabama”s struggles, it is important to note that Indiana remains undefeated this season, boasting victories over teams like Oregon and Ohio State, the latter of whom they defeated in the Big Ten Championship.
Entering the playoffs as the top-ranked team, Indiana will face Oregon again in the CFP semifinals next week. The winner of that matchup will advance to the national championship game, where they will meet the victor of the contest between Ole Miss and Miami, both of whom achieved impressive upsets to reach the semifinals.
