Why Alabama’s newest ranking might just be exactly what the Tide needs 

When the Alabama Crimson Tide lost to Florida State 31-17 on Saturday, the entire college football world gasped. It was the Tide’s first season opener loss since 2001. To put that in perspective, none of the current Alabama football players were born at that time. That’s how long it’s been since Alabama has started a season 0-1. After Saturday’s loss, fans and analysts alike tried to guess where the Tide would end up in the newest polls after such an embarrassing loss.  Some, like ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit suggested Alabama should fall out of the Top 25 altogether, while some others thought Alabama would remain ranked.

In the end, Alabama ended up being ranked 21st in the latest AP poll. 

Although there’s an argument to be made that the Tide deserved to be unranked after Saturday’s disastrous performance, being ranked 21st might just be a blessing in disguise for DeBoer and his team for a few reasons.

When you look at how Alabama has performed historically over the years, they tend to play better football when the target is removed from their back. In years past, a drop in the polls has been a huge chip on the shoulder for the Tide.  Alabama entered the season ranked in the top 10. And how after last year’s 9-4 season ended with a loss to Michigan for the second time in a row, there were a lot of unknowns. Would the Tide return hungry and determined? Would Alabama regain control of their destiny and make it back to the College Football playoffs? Could Alabama have the talent to win their first national championship under Kalen DeBoer? With how Saturday’s game turned out, some of those questions remain. But one thing is certain, Alabama’s target on their back is much smaller. Teams like Texas, OhioState, Clemson, and Penn State are now the teams everyone is watching. 

With a season opener loss, Alabama’s path to the College Football Playoff is a lot harder. Some may even say impossible. But, the Tide shouldn’t be counted out just yet. If they choose to use the loss to Florida State as a source of motivation, we might see this team finish the season way stronger than they started. But as of right now, Alabama no longer has the same amount of stress of winning a national championship as they did two weeks ago. And with that, comes a sense of ease. Maybe, just maybe, losing the first game of the season is just like this week’s ranking for Alabama: a blessing in disguise.

Can DeBoer take this loss and a drop in the rankings to re-motivate and inspire his team?

Can Alabama take the lessons learned on Saturday and apply them against Louisiana Monroe on Saturday in Tuscaloosa?

Time will tell. The choice is theirs.

But one thing is for certain: just when you think the Tide is out, Alabama comes rolling back in.