Alabama is still grappling with the growing pains of missing the playoffs. The top program is not used to having their season cut short and are learning to grow from it. However, they aren’t all bad news for the Crimson Tide. Ahead of the Reliaquest Bowl matchup with Michigan, quarterback Jalen Milroe issued a positive statement to head coach Kalen DeBoer and the rest of the team.
A long-awaited rematch
Michigan and Alabama will meet again for the first time in almost a year. They last played on New Year’s Day and will now clash on New Year’s Eve. Both programs haven’t faced each other since last season’s College Football Playoffs semifinal at the Rose Bowl.
Seeking redemption
Then, the Wolverines defeated the Tide 27-20 en route to a National Championship with Jim Harbaugh and J.J. McCarthy. Milroe and Alabama had been hoping for a shot at redemption since.
Changes on both sides
Both programs have changed drastically since New Year’s Day, however. Harbaugh and Saban are no longer at the helm, and it will be Sherrone Moore against Kalen DeBoer this time around. Michigan’s quarterback will be Davis Warren, and many doubted whether Milroe would play or would choose to opt-out of the bowl game.
Milroe’s commitment
Milroe made his stance clear, though. “The mission right now is to complete the season,” Milroe said. “We have one more mission ahead, which is attacking Michigan, and that’s the whole thought process right now. Being our absolute best so we can take care of our business when it goes to play in Tampa.”
Quarterback Jalen Milroe #4 talks with head coach Kalen DeBoer of the Alabama Crimson Tide after a receiver was ruled out of bounds on the 11-yard line instead of scoring a touchdown against the Oklahoma Sooners in the first quarter at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on November 23, 2024 in Norman, Oklahoma.
“It’s all about going 1-0, preparing the right way, and so that’s where my focus is at, is winning this game, preparing the right way, taking care of my body so we can be our best us.”
Alabama’s roster shake-up
Much hype surrounded Keanu Koht as he entered the 2024 NCAA season. The four-star recruit in the 2021 class was expected to evolve into a bigger role under DeBoer.
However, it was quite the contrary. Koht didn’t play much to start the campaign and was suspended by the coach midway through the season. Ultimately Koht entered the transfer portal and has now announced he will join the Vanderbilt Commodores.
Potential rivalry brewing
There might be some bad blood between Koht and DeBoer, especially considering the linebacker’s decision to sign with another SEC program—the one that handed DeBoer his worst loss in his first year in Tuscaloosa. It seems too coincidental to be a mere chance.
Vanderbilt and Alabama will meet again in 2025, setting up a highly-anticipated reunion between DeBoer and Koht. The stakes will undoubtedly be high, and fans will be eagerly awaiting this clash.
As Alabama prepares for this pivotal matchup against Michigan, the focus remains on growth and resilience. With Milroe at the helm, the Crimson Tide are determined to finish strong and make a statement in the bowl game. Can they turn the page on last season’s disappointment and claim victory against a familiar foe? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure—college football fans are in for an exciting showdown this New Year’s Eve!
