September 28, 2024; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Karen DeBoer calls during the first half against the Georgia Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium The team commits pass interference. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images A month into his first season as Alabama head coach, Kalen DeBoer beat Georgia in an epic comeback that puts the Crimson Tide in the SEC driving seat , thereby completing several wish lists.
DeBoer's first SEC game became an instant classic. The Crimson Tide scored 28 points on its first 23 plays before regaining the lost lead on quarterback Jalen Milroe's second touchdown pass with 2:13 left. .
“Continue to be proud of our team and the preparation we put in,” DeBoer said Monday. “It's in the heart of these guys. They want to be great. So proud of these guys.”
Alabama defeated the Bulldogs 41-34 in Tuscaloosa on Saturday night to become college football's new No. 1 team. Milroe completed 75% of his passes and ran for two scores. But on Monday, the Crimson Tide stamped out the celebratory atmosphere and shifted the focus to Vanderbilt (2-2).
“We're continuing to improve. What happened in the past has no impact on this Saturday's game,” Alabama offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan said. “There's no carryover — yardage, scoring completions. In this conference and at the highest level of college football we're at, it has no impact on what the game looks like on Saturday. Obviously (Saturday) was a good result We face challenges every week in this league.
Defensive coordinator Kane Womack said the key all week against Georgia was making quarterback Carson Baker uncomfortable. But he woke up on Monday upset after a 30-7 lead was blown and he failed to stop the Bulldogs on fourth down. He praised Baker for making the game closer than Alabama would have liked, but also credited his defense for overcoming the disappointment and not giving up in the end.
Freshman cornerback Zabien Brown had his tenth game-changing defensive performance of the game on Womack's scorecard.
“I told the defense, no one in that room will ever forget that moment. High praise for (Brown) for being able to keep fighting,” Womack said. “Now we've done this together. There's a level of team chemistry that comes from that.”
Vanderbilt had a bye last week and bounced back from a nearly upset upset of Missouri 30-27 in double overtime in Columbia. The Commodores haven't held a shutout against Alabama since 2007.
Alabama has won 23 straight games against Vanderbilt, last losing in 1984 (30-21).
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