(Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

Kirk Herbstreit Names 'Most Impressive' SEC Team

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Oct 21, 2025 11:43 AM ET

Key Points

Alabama has rebounded from a Week 1 loss to Florida State with six straight wins.
The Crimson Tide climbed from No. 21 to No. 4 in the AP Poll.
Kirk Herbstreit calls Alabama “the most impressive team” in the SEC.

The No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide have experienced a significant turnaround in college football this season. They began the year with a 31-17 loss to the Florida State Seminoles (3-4) on the road.

Alabama fell all the way to No. 21 in the rankings but has since rattled off six straight wins. Four of these victories came against ranked opponents. The Crimson Tide defeated the then-No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs on the road, 24-21. They followed that up with a 30-14 win over the then-No. 16 Vanderbilt Commodores, a 27-24 victory against the then-No. 14 Missouri Tigers on the road and a 37-20 win over the then-No. 11 Tennessee Volunteers.

This places them in the top five for the first time this season. It has ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit labeling them the most impressive SEC team on the "Nonstop" podcast.

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) looks to pass.© Brett Davis-Imagn Images

"I think Alabama is the most impressive to me, after they got embarrassed against Florida State," Herbstreit said. "Everybody wanted to say, Kalen DeBoer, even their own fans were like, 'What are we doing here?' Meanwhile, their quarterback's executing at an elite level. They went through that gauntlet that you mentioned, Georgia on the road, Vanderbilt, on the road at Missouri and then they get Tennessee. That's the four straight you're talking about."

As Herbstreit pointed out, quarterback Ty Simpson is having an outstanding season. He has completed 70.2% of his passes for 1,931 yards, throwing 18 touchdowns and only one interception so far. This impressive performance gives him the best odds to win the Heisman Trophy this year, slightly ahead of Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Defensively, Alabama has reestablished its identity under Kalen DeBoer’s staff, ranking 25th nationally in total defense and holding opponents to just 17.7 points per game. With this balance, the Tide are now favored in every remaining regular-season game.

Still, Alabama’s margin for error remains slim. The Crimson Tide travel to South Carolina on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC, before having a bye week and then returning home to face the No. 20 LSU Tigers, a matchup that could determine their path to Atlanta, and potentially, another College Football Playoff berth.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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