'Everybody Knows What Happened': Inside Alabama's Mindset for Florida State Rematch

Kalen DeBoer and Zabien Brown explain how the Crimson Tide is channeling the energy from last year's loss to the Seminoles.

Aug 30, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer looks on against the Florida State Seminoles during the second half at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama's loss to Florida State in 2025 became an unwanted identity.

It was the Crimson Tide's first time losing a season opener since 2001. For the several weeks that followed, the narrative around Kalen DeBoer's second year as the head coach centered on that historic upset in Tallahassee.

Alabama proceeded to win its next eight games, including four consecutive ranked matchups — the fourth-ever team in the SEC to accomplish the feat. But following those wins, questions from the media included "How have you grown since losing to FSU?" "What's changed since the loss?" "Is the loss still on your mind?" "Should the loss impact your spot in the College Football Playoff?"

The Crimson Tide rallied together after falling to the Seminoles, as DeBoer "brought that energy" when he intruded on a players-only meeting before the Week 2 contest against ULM. Alabama eventually earned the No. 9 seed in the CFP and beat 8-seed Oklahoma on the road in the first round before losing to 1-seed Indiana in the Rose Bowl.

Fast forward to today, Alabama is 2-0 (1-0 SEC) with wins over East Carolina and Kentucky. After a year of Florida State having the last laugh, the Crimson Tide will host the Seminoles on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT in Bryant-Denny Stadium. After everything that went down following the upset in Tallahassee, it's Alabama's turn in Tuscaloosa. But do DeBoer and company view this as a revenge game?

"In our minds, this is the 2026 team," DeBoer said on Monday. "I just talked to the team about that this morning. I know there are a lot of guys, including our staff, that certainly know what it felt like last year walking off that football field.

"So for us, I think there are things that forced us to have a greater intentionality on. It brought out even better in us. It's the most important game of the season right now because it's the next one. But there are certainly some guys who remember how it felt."

Alabama cornerback Zabien Brown played in last year's matchup. He said that the team meeting with DeBoer previewing this Saturday's game was no different from any other game. The Crimson Tide went through their roster, played past games, self-scouted and opponent-scouted. Both rosters are very different from 2025, but do Alabama's returning players still talk about that cloudy afternoon in the Sunshine State?

"I feel like the people who were here, we understand what happened last year and what that was like," Brown said. "And for the people who weren't here, I'm sure they've seen it all over the media. It's not really something that needs to be overly brought up, but everybody knows what happened.

"We're just trying to go 1-0, trying to put on a great showing for our fans at home. We're just trying to go 1-0. They're another nameless, faceless opponent. We know what happened last year, but it's a new team, new year."

Outside of the Mal M. Moore Athletic Facility, one could look at this game as bulletin board material for the Crimson Tide. Bulletin board material can be viewed in a couple of ways: One is that you play with revenge on the mind, which adds a ton of fuel to the fire. But at the same time, making it about last year's contest could distract a team from the new opponent in front of them.

DeBoer emphasized that he wants this game to "be about us and our improvement this season." However, those using that extra motivation need to do so wisely.

"I think the key is to channel that energy into the right things, and that's our preparation," DeBoer said. "When that happens, if you go through the process of the week, the right things will happen on Saturday. I think that's what we've done a good job of that these first two weeks.

"We've got to reset, come back to work tomorrow, continue to stack days. It starts with Tuesday. Saturday will come and we'll do the right things to channel the energy, whatever it is, internally or any outside noise.

"Last week there was a lot going into that game, the environment. There is outside noise in every way. You want them to lock it out, but if you channel it the right way, you can use it as a positive."

Revenge is not on the table for Alabama, but that doesn't mean it won't be in the back of the players' and coaches' minds. DeBoer and company seem to have found a happy medium between remembering what happened in Tallahassee on Aug. 30, 2025, and what's to come on Sept. 19, 2026, in Tuscaloosa. If Alabama can absorb that balance, it could make the Crimson Tide very dangerous.

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