Kalen DeBoer talks through challenge of facing third straight ranked team
By Derek Hryn
Published:
Alabama’s streak of facing ranked teams doesn’t show any signs of letting up, and coach Kalen DeBoer knows it. The Crimson Tide have just wrapped back-to-back wins over top-20 opponents Georgia (Week 5) and Vanderbilt (Week 6), and this week they turn their attention to Missouri, another AP Top 25 squad. Tennessee looms in Week 8, meaning DeBoer’s crew is looking at a likely four-game stretch against ranked teams.
“You look at one game. You focus on only one game. That’s what we did against Georgia, against Vanderbilt, and now against Missouri,” DeBoer said. “When you just focus on those things that you can control, you work through it one by one.”
And that’s exactly how you have to approach a run like this. Alabama is piling up wins, while learning how to handle pressure well ahead of College Football Playoff time. Ty Simpson has been sharp, throwing for multiple touchdowns while keeping completion rates north of 70% in 2025.
Missouri (5-0) won’t make it easy — averaging over 540 yards per game on offense (No. 2 in the nation) and giving up less than 200 on defense (No. 1 in the nation) — but Alabama is riding momentum. If UA is focused and sticks to its formula, it could keep its ranking climbing while navigating one of the SEC’s toughest stretches.
