What Kalen DeBoer Said After Losing to Oklahoma for Second Straight Season

Live updates from the Alabama head coach's press conference followed by a full transcript and video after the Crimson Tide's win streak was snapped against the Sooners.

Nov 15, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen Deboer looks on during the first half go the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium | David Leong-Imagn Images

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Alabama fell to Oklahoma, 23-21 inside Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday night, snapping the Crimson Tide's eight-game win streak in the regular season and 17-game home winning streak.

The Crimson Tide had three costly turnovers, missed a 36-yard field goal at the end of the first half and did not force a turnover for the first time this season.

Head coach Kalen DeBoer will speak to the media after the loss.

This story will be updated throughout the press conference with a full transcript and video to be posted following the conclusion.

Full Transcript

Opening statement…

“Just really disappointed in the outcome. We played a lot of great snaps out there, but the turnover battle, obviously got killed there, and that became the game. We’ve done a great job of taking care of it. We’ve done a good job of taking it off of teams, and I think, probably 17 points coming off of turnovers and the short field at the beginning where they got a field goal after the punt return. We missed our opportunities for sure. That’s what hurts so much. 

"I have no doubt about how we will respond. The guys are disappointed and frustrated about how this ended up here because that’s the moment we’re in.”

How frustrating is it to nearly double Oklahoma up in yards and still come away with a loss?

“Yeah, that’s it. I just feel like, throughout the game, we didn’t really feel like we couldn’t move the ball. It felt like we couldn’t put it in the end zone. There were just these one-off plays that were the takeaways, and then it became an uphill battle. If you can take the lead and extend the lead when it was 21-20, then it can potentially become a whole different game. The guys are going to fight. I know the character of the team, but that’s the part that’s just really frustrating for everyone is that you win the time of possession, you win everything pretty much, total yards, and you come away with a loss. Again, they’re a good football team, and when you give them those chances, that’s what you get.”

What went wrong on the FG attempt before halftime?

“Yeah, it's a little bit of the same as the last time that we missed one. It's just, we could get a little better snap, but we could make the kick, too. You know, it's a little bit of everything on the execution from the snap to the kick. We’ve got to find a way to kick it through when it's not perfect. We’ve got to find a way to execute better, just on the whole thing, on the whole operation.”

What was the clock management strategy on the final offensive possession? Were you trying to run the clock out.

“You don’t start that way. You’re just trying to get out of your own end zone, you know, with the ball on our own six. You’re just trying to get a first down, and then you’re trying to get another one. Felt good about the situation. We knew we just needed a field goal to win it, but it was more about just getting out of your own territory. And even if we had to punt with two timeouts, you’re thinking, with the two-minute warning, that we can flip the field and get an opportunity there. 

“But then just the grind that it was, it becomes a situation where you get down to two minutes. And again, that wasn’t what the intention was going in, to have it be one possession. I think most people would be on the same page thinking that you probably got two possessions here left to go win it.”

Do you see a troubling trend with the offense struggling?

“Well, I think we had almost 275 yards in the first half. What’s disappointing is the turnovers, because even the interception where we were working deep into their territory, the interception for a touchdown, and then we just gave them the ball in our own territory a couple of times there.

“I felt like, you know, it wasn’t perfect, but we were facing a really good defense, and we understood that.  felt like we were executing better today than we have probably the previous couple of weeks against a very good defense. Just the big mistakes are the ones that hurt us.”

Do you feel like the run game took a step forward?

“I think they felt like there was opportunities where we had seams to run the football more so than we have. There’s still times, again, they’re very good against the run. You know, I’ll watch the film with more detail and see. I thought our effort, I thought our belief in doing it was is continuing to head in the right direction.”

What’s your message to Ty with the sack fumbles?

“Yeah, I mean, with the pressure that they brought, he's got to get rid of it and be OK with throwing it away. You can only hold on for so long, and I feel like with the blitz they had, you’re going to get overwhelmed and outnumbered. So you’ve just got to understand the situation. I know it's third down, and he wants to stay on the field, but he's got to understand, you know, your defense playing pretty good too. You’ve just got to live with punting once in a while.”

Are the struggles in the run game putting too much on Ty Simpson’s shoulders?

“No. I think we had enough quick game. I think we had enough quick throws out there. We were pretty efficient doing it, and guys were making plays. I thought he managed it well. I’s just, again, this game could’ve gone a whole different direction. One play got him with the pressure and the interception for the touchdown and then the strip sack we’re talking about. Again, it goes back to most of the snaps we played pretty good football. It’s the ones that were big that really hurt us.”

Live Updates

(latest updates at the top)

• DeBoer's postgame is done after six minutes. Super quick. I'm not sure if Alabama limited the questions, or if there just weren't a lot of questions.

• DeBoer says he doesn't think the offense is putting too much on Simpson's shoulders.

• "With the pressure they brought, he's got to get rid of it."- DeBoer on Ty Simpson's sack fumble.

• DeBoer says it wasn't the intention to have only one possession left in the game when Alabama got the ball back with 7:06 left in the fourth quarter. They were just trying to get the ball out of their own end zone, and then it kind of turned into a two-minute situation.

• "They're a good football team, and when you give them chances, that's what you get."

• DeBoer says it became an uphill battle.

• "We missed our opportunities, for sure. And that's what hurts so much. I have no doubt about how we'll respond."

• DeBoer says it came down to the turnover battle.

• "Really disappointed in the outcome."

• DeBoer will be at the podium shortly. First home loss of his tenure as the Alabama head coach.