Kirk Herbstreit can live with a bad prediction. College football does that to everybody. But the part that landed hardest Saturday had nothing to do with picking Kentucky over Alabama.
It was why he did it.
“I just have lasting images of calling the Rose Bowl where, in my opinion, Alabama quit against Indiana,” he said. “And now you have Kentucky on the road for the first time.
These guys don’t quite have the stones to pull the trigger. I’m going to pull the trigger.
I’m going with Kentucky at home.”
That was the shot. Not just at Alabama, but at the idea that this group would fold when the game got uncomfortable. And by the end of Alabama’s 45-17 win in Lexington, that read looked flat-out wrong.
Kentucky came out swinging and owned the first half, 17-13. Alabama answered with a second-half shutout, 32-0, and turned a shaky afternoon into a runaway. The Crimson Tide’s 28-point margin was their second-largest road victory under Kalen DeBoer, trailing only the 42-13 win at LSU in 2024.
The early stretch gave Herbstreit’s argument some temporary life. Keelon Russell threw two interceptions, including a pick-six that put Alabama in a hole fast, and also lost a fumble in the first 30 minutes. Plenty of people watching had the same thought at halftime: does DeBoer make a quarterback change here?
He didn’t. DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb stayed with the sophomore in his first road start, and Russell settled in well enough to do what CFP quarterbacks Blake Sims and Ty Simpson didn’t by winning that first road start.
Grubb, too, adjusted after a rough opening. Some of his play-calling helped create the early mess, but after halftime he leaned harder on the run game, where Daniel Hill helped Alabama bring a more physical edge for a second straight week.
Kentucky also got a couple of breaks that mattered, with two questionable replay reviews going the home team’s way. Add in a new coach, a new roster and a fan base that showed up with fresh energy, and Alabama had every reason to tighten up.
Instead, it kept pushing. The Tide’s defense, the best DeBoer has had since taking over, helped steady the whole thing while the offense cleaned up its own damage. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Alabama had done more than win - it had taken control of the game and never let go.
That’s why Herbstreit’s comment about Alabama not having “the stones to pull the trigger” missed so badly. If anything, this team spent 60 minutes proving the opposite.
Russell, Hill, Caleb Woodson, Luke Metz, DeBoer and the rest of the traveling party didn’t just compete on the road in the heat. They outlasted Kentucky after a mess of a start and turned the afternoon into a statement.
And maybe that is what Nick Saban saw before the season when he said flying under the radar could suit this Alabama team. Teams that get doubted can be dangerous. Teams that absorb a punch, survive their own mistakes and then blow the doors off in the second half are even more dangerous.
In Other News...
Alabama Had An Unexpected Game Problem While Trying To Settle Keelon Russell
During the third quarter against Kentucky, Alabama hit an unexpected snag while trying to settle in Keelon Russell, as the helmet communication link between the quarterback and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb went out. It was the sort of disruption teams prepare for but rarely want to test in real time, especially with a young quarterback still finding his rhythm in a live game.
Russell said the Tide had practiced for that kind of situation and were able to shift to sideline commands without losing control of the offense. Alabama kept rolling anyway, finishing off a 45-17 win, and the episode offered a small reminder that even in a lopsided game, the details of communication can still matter. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas Backfield Picture Is Finally Starting To Get More Interesting
Alabamas SEC opener offered the clearest look yet at how the backfield is starting to sort itself out. Daniel Hill was on the field for 42 of 59 snaps and handled 18 carries for 104 yards, giving the Tide a steady lead option as the staff leaned more heavily on him than it had earlier in the season. Behind him, the rotation stayed wide open, with freshmen Trae'shawn Brown and EJ Crowell getting limited work and Kevin Riley seeing only a few snaps.
AK Dear remained out because of injury, which keeps another layer of uncertainty in play for a group that has already shown both upside and inconsistency through two games. Alabama has had its share of productive runs and touchdowns, but negative plays have also chipped away at the overall efficiency, so the next question is whether Hills workload becomes a one-game adjustment or the first sign of a more settled pecking order. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State's Latest Shakeup Comes Right Before Alabama
Florida State made a notable leadership change just days before its meeting with Alabama, announcing that Michael Alford is no longer the athletics director after four years on the job. Bruce Warwick will handle the role in the interim as the school begins the search for a permanent replacement, adding another layer of uncertainty around a program already under scrutiny.
The timing matters because the Seminoles are trying to steady themselves amid concerns about the football programs recent performance under Mike Norvell. With Alabama looming, the administrative shakeup only adds to the sense that Florida State is entering a critical stretch with plenty still unresolved around the direction of the program. [Read more 🡒]