Alabama Crimson Tide Feel Different This Season

The Alabama Crimson Tide have gotten off to a 5-0 start this season, marking the best start in the Kalen DeBoer era.

Yes, it's only been a short three years, but the fact that Alabama looks so much better here in 2026 means something.

The Crimson Tide haven't been beating cupcakes, either.

They defeated a 4-1 Kentucky team in Week 2, and last weekend, they annihilated a really good Mississippi State squad.

Now, Alabama will host the Georgia Bulldogs in possibly the biggest regular-season game of the year yet, and a win would almost guarantee the Crimson Tide a berth in the College Football Playoff.

A win would also prove that this 'Bama squad is a bit different.

Yes, DeBoer has actually gone 2-1 against Georgia thus far, beating the Bulldogs back-to-back years during the regular season before getting thumped by a score of 28-7 in the SEC Championship Game last December.

But did anyone truly believe in either of those other two Alabama teams?

It seems pretty clear that the 2026 Crimson Tide are the best version DeBoer has coached in Tuscaloosa, and possibly by a wide margin.

DeBoer's clubs had previously been accused of being soft. It would be hard to place that label on Alabama this year. Especially after it laid the lumber to South Carolina and Mississippi State in consecutive weeks.

This squad isn't just talented; it's a bit rugged, as well, and that should absolutely help the Crimson Tide against a Georgia team that enters this contest ranked second in the nation.

In spite of that, No. 6 Alabama is favored by 1.5 points at home, and based on the way the Tide have looked over the last couple of weeks, it's hard to bet against them.

To be quite frank, it's hard to bet against Alabama in general right now.

The Crimson Tide looked very vulnerable in DeBoer's first two seasons. And yes, 'Bama did look like it could be had earlier this year, when slow starts against Kentucky and Florida State nearly doomed it. But Alabama has since recovered.

Gone were the rocky starts versus South Carolina and Mississippi State, as Alabama has now played 10 straight quarters of terrific football.

It will definitely need that against Georgia, which is the toughest game remaining on the Crimson Tide's regular-season schedule (or at least it appears to be).

But based on the different feel surrounding Alabama this season, no one should be doubting DeBoer and Co. before Saturday.