Just two short weeks ago, Kalen DeBoer and Alabama sat at an impressive 5-0, and with hot-shot quarterback Keelon Russell dealing, the Crimson Tide looked poised for another playoff run.
Since then, Alabama has suffered back-to-back SEC losses, and while the home loss to Georgia was somewhat respectable, the road loss to Tennessee was nothing short of humiliating for DeBoer and the Tide.
Alabama fans don't handle losses very well, much less back-to-back losses, something that hadn't happened in the regular season since 2007, Nick Saban's first season in Tuscaloosa. As a result, pressure is mounting for Coach DeBoer as the Texas A&M Aggies roll into town on Saturday afternoon.
DeBoer doesn't just need a win; he needs an emphatic victory.
Alabama needs to make a statement against Texas A&M
At a program like Alabama, winning has always been the expectation, but how you win matters, too. That is especially true when a team finds itself in the position the Crimson Tide is currently in.
The loss to Tennessee wasn't simply about the final score. It was about how Alabama looked in the process. The offense struggled to find any rhythm; the defense couldn't consistently get off the field, and the Crimson Tide looked like a team searching for answers rather than one competing for a championship.
That's what makes Saturday's matchup against Texas A&M so important.
The Aggies have struggled this season, and while quarterback Marcel Reed remains a dangerous playmaker, this is Alabama's chance to remind everyone it still belongs in the national conversation.
A narrow, sloppy victory might technically get Alabama back into the win column, but would it really change the perception of this team?
Probably not.
For DeBoer, Saturday needs to be about more than the scoreboard. Alabama needs to establish a physical offensive presence, take some pressure off its young quarterback, and show a willingness to adjust when things aren't working.
Defensively, the Crimson Tide must find a way to be more aggressive, eliminate explosive plays, and get opposing offenses off the field on third down.
More importantly, Alabama needs to play with the urgency and confidence that seemed to define this team during its 5-0 start.
Nobody is suggesting DeBoer's job is on the line Saturday afternoon, but there is no denying that the honeymoon period is over. Fair or not, every performance will be scrutinized, and the standard established by Nick Saban isn't going anywhere.
The College Football Playoff remains within reach, but Alabama is quickly running out of opportunities to prove it deserves to be there.
Saturday represents an opportunity for DeBoer to change the narrative surrounding his program.
Beating Texas A&M would stop the bleeding; beating the Aggies convincingly would send the message that Alabama isn't finished just yet.
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