Kalen DeBoer addresses ‘revenge game’ narrative ahead of Florida State matchup
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Kalen DeBoer experienced the hurt during and after last season’s Week 1 loss at Florida State, when Alabama was shredded for 230 yards rushing in a 31-17 stunner that sent Seminoles fans onto the field at Doak Campbell Stadium and put the Crimson Tide behind the 8-ball immediately.
Yes, Bama recovered from that shocker to get to the SEC title game and even advanced all the way to the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. But nobody who loves or hates Alabama was going to soon forget that opening dud to the 2025 season, when a Tide team that was ranked 8th in the country and came in as a double-digit favorite fell hard in Tallahassee.
A little over a year later, Alabama has the chance for, yes, that word — revenge. That chance will come this Saturday afternoon, in Week 3 this time, when the 10th-ranked Crimson Tide get Florida State at home in a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff on ABC. The 2-0 Tide are about a 3-touchdown favorite as of early in the week over the 1-1 Noles, and naturally DeBoer was asked during his session with reporters on Monday whether there was indeed revenge on Alabama’s mind.
“In our minds, this is the 2026 team,” said Kalen DeBoer, before dipping the situation in reality. “I know there’s a lot of guys, including our staff, who know what it felt like walking off that football field.”
So, there you go. It is a new year, a new season, but DeBoer wasn’t going to totally shy away from what happened in Week 1 in 2025.
Alabama will be trying to continue stock-piling wins on Saturday against Florida State. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the potential victory total for the Crimson Tide in 2026:
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
