Kalen DeBoer Brags About Opponents That Finished 7-17 Last Year

At SEC Media Days on Wednesday, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer tried to tout his non‑conference slate before a national audience.

“Look at our schedule this year. We’re playing Florida State and Wisconsin. We’re into playing as many high‑end games as possible,” he announced.

The real high‑end punch was that those two programs went a combined 7‑17 last year. FSU crashed to 2‑10, their worst season in decades, and Wisconsin slumped to 5‑7, ending a 23‑year bowl streak.

DeBoer framed it as proof of his squad’s ambition. The actual takeaway was something else entirely. Flexing with teams in free‑fall does not equal strength; it reads more like scheduling low‑hanging fruit while chasing headlines.

If Alabama’s idea of a marquee non-con game is Florida State, which had an incredibly disappointing season, and Wisconsin, which was painfully average last year, that says more about the optics than any competitive boldness.

What’s the message here? That Alabama can clout teams from struggling conferences and call it elite scheduling? The SEC should watch closely, because there’s nothing “high‑end” about padding wins against once‑proud programs resetting under new leadership and poor results.

DeBoer acknowledged their reputation, pivoted to roster notes, and moved on. But the social media stage lit up. Some laughed at the grand claim. Others pointed out the glaring disparity between word and record. Either way, the SEC’s superiority flex caught a collective eye roll across college football.

At a moment when Alabama is framing its non‑conference slate as rugged, the truth is plain. You can’t dress up a limp schedule by brandishing former giants that faltered badly. That’s not grit. That’s spin. And everyone can see through it.