The Day Alabama and The SEC Died

JANUARY 1, 2026

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If you think for one second that this is an easy thing to say or some “hot take,” don’t even bother reading it.

I am a die-hard Alabama Crimson Tide fan first and a football fan second. I love the sport and the hundreds of positive qualities it brings to America and its culture.

We have to face some hard facts, though, and at this point, one of the hardest facts is that we cannot beat Big Ten teams when it matters. I’m not even sure we can beat them when it doesn’t matter.

Apparently, the Big 10 is where it “just means more.”

SEC teams are 0-4 in the playoffs since the expansion of twelve teams in the CFP.

That is not the only disturbing stat. Some other stats are equally as gruesome when it comes to facing the Big Ten when the games really mean something.

There’s no doubt about it.

The Southeastern Conference has the most talent of any conference in major college sports.

When you look at the number of four and five-star recruits on the Alabama Crimson Tide sideline versus the Indiana Hoosier sideline, well, it’s almost as lopsided as the 38-3 score ended up being last night.

So then it begs the question, why are we getting our butt kicked every time we face Big Ten schools in the playoffs?

We were PUNCHED IN THE MOUTH on the field in Pasadena, California, and we looked soft.

We looked soft. WHAT? The Alabama Crimson Tide football team looked soft?

Yes. It looked like we gave up in the third quarter.

Well, we are quite simply being outcoached, and that is for sure. There is no debate when you have less talent, yet you are able to do more.

That is a direct result of excellent coaching.

Don’t even get me started on how much smarter we would have been to have hired Curt Cignetti after Saban stepped down as the Head Coach of the Crimson Tide.

This was a guy who had already been in our system right here in Tuscaloosa, and I would like to know if we even considered him as a possible replacement for Coach Saban.

The way they hire in the Big Ten is one of the biggest things that we need to look at in our conference.

We hire people based on whether or not a specific super sports agent represents them, and that is just wrong and, as it turns out, pretty stupid.

We are at a huge crossroads right now, and I don’t really believe our program is dead, but if we don’t make some tough decisions and some serious moves, we will be attending a funeral in the future.