Ryan Grubb Calls Out 'Boo Bird' Alabama Fans Before Comeback Win Over FSU

The Crimson Tide offensive coordinator didn't appreciate those who booed the Crimson Tide while trailing 21-6 late in the second quarter.

Marine Helicopters fly over Bryant Denny Stadium before the game against FSU on Sept 19, 2026. | Sarah Munzenmaier/Alabama Crimson Tide on SI

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama's home win over Florida State had plenty of unorthodox moments compared to a typical Crimson Tide game.

For starters, the 50-36 score was only the seventh time in college football history (since 1869) with that exact final tally. But there was also a 1 1/2 hour delay during pregame warmups due to six different lightning strikes within eight miles of Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. There was another 30-minute delay with 2:36 left in the second quarter, as Alabama trailed 21-6.

No one puts more pressure on Alabama than Crimson Tide fans themselves. Whether it’s giving up a touchdown or even going three-and-out, fans are always looking for something to nitpick. The criticism starts from the very first drive, but then the mood completely swings when Alabama scores and completes a comeback. This past Saturday was a perfect example, as Tide fans were booing the team when down 21-6.

"I was proud of the guys, and they just didn't have any quit," Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said on Monday. "They're a really resilient group. I was super proud of that. You know, we had, I would say, some boo birds.

"I told the guys, 'If you'd have quit as fast as some of your fans, s—t, we wouldn't have won that game.' So I was proud of them for a bunch of 19-year-olds just go out there, [down] 21-6 and not flinch. I was fired up."

It's clear that Alabama got off to a bad start against the Seminoles, and that was a theme during the postgame press conference and also what was said by Grubb, head coach Kalen DeBoer and defensive coordinator Kane Wommack on Monday.

The Crimson Tide will have to figure out how to start fast, as it'll face more challenging opponents the rest of the season. This includes games like LSU in Baton Rouge, Tennessee in Knoxville, Mississippi State in Starkville, plus home games against Georgia and Texas A&M. While Alabama has a six-game win streak over Auburn, many of these games were close.

DeBoer thanked the fanbase for sticking through delays the moment his postgame press conference started, but these were the words that followed:

"We obviously got to start faster," DeBoer said. "Two games in a row now where we find ourselves behind. And so probably different scenarios on how that happened, but nonetheless, we got to do a better job of coming out of the gates."

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