Why a loss to Oklahoma would be 'disastrous' for Kalen DeBoer, Alabama

Kalen DeBoer is walking the line between glory and disaster with the Alabama Crimson Tide.

He's under a ton of pressure in Tuscaloosa. That's just the way things are at Alabama, and he should have gone into this job knowing that he had immense shoes to fill in being the guy to replace Nick Saban.

At most programs, a 9-4 season in a coach's first campaign would be hailed as a success. For Alabama, it was seen as a disappointment. The Tide weren't even in the inaugural 12-team college football playoff. They're in this season after a 10-3 regular season, but DeBoer's team made the CFP by the skin of their teeth.

They're the No. 9 seed and will take on the No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners this Friday evening in Norman. A win would mean a trip to the Rose Bowl to take on the No. 1-ranked Indiana Hoosiers.

A loss? Well, according to ESPN's Paul Finebaum, that would be disastrous for DeBoer and the Crimson Tide.

“A loss Friday night would mean four losses on the season. That would be two consecutive four loss seasons. Greeny. We’ve talked about Alabama long enough on this program, that’s a disastrous season," Finebaum recently said on ESPN's "Get Up" (h/t On3).

Kalen DeBoer under immense pressure to lead Alabama Crimson Tide to a win over Oklahoma Sooners in the CFP

Again, the expectations in Tuscaloosa are championships, and note that we're talking about plural. DeBoer could win it all this year, and that would be great for him, but the Alabama fan base would expect another one next season. 

Saban won six at Alabama, mind you, and there was grumbling after he didn't make the CFP in 2022 and then lost to the Michigan Wolverines in the 2023 Rose Bowl.

“A disastrous season under Saban was losing in the final game of the year, in the title game, so DeBoer needs to win this game, get to the Rose Bowl and take on Indiana if he doesn’t, it just gets more complicated after that," Finebaum said.

Earlier this season, Alabama did lose to Oklahoma in Tuscaloosa. It was a 23-21 ballgame in which the Sooners were ranked No. 11, and Alabama was ranked No. 4.

The Tide are the favorites again in this one despite having the higher ranking and despite being on the road. According to Draft Kings, they're a 1.5-point favorite.

As such, it becomes even more vital that DeBoer wins this game. He says he's happy at Alabama and doesn't want to go anywhere. That's all fine and dandy, but fans may kick him out of Tuscaloosa if he can't win this one.