5 inexcusable losses Kalen DeBoer cannot afford to suffer during third Alabama season

The outcome of every game should be viewed differently. While you cannot win them all, losing one your team has no business dropping can be problematic come playoff time. During his first two years leading the Alabama Crimson Tide, Kalen DeBoer has lost a few head-scratchers. The Oklahoma loss two years ago was bad, only to be made worse by the unthinkable road defeat at Florida State last fall.

So with that in mind, let's take a look at Alabama's schedule to see if we can find games of that nature.

While there are a slew of games that Alabama could potentially lose, some of which will not be as big of a deal as others. Georgia and Texas A&M were playoff teams a season ago. LSU and Tennessee are bitter rivals, and those games will be on the road. Even a team like South Carolina has played Alabama hard the last few seasons. So what games would losses be inexcusable for DeBoer during year three?

Alabama is not losing to East Carolina or Chattanooga, but the Crimson Tide can be upset by others.

5. Vanderbilt Commodores (Nov. 14: Nashville, TN)

Two years ago, Alabama fell to Vanderbilt in Nashville. It was Diego Pavia's coronation in the SEC, helping the Commodores achieve unforeseen heights last season. While Vanderbilt does have an improving football culture under one of their own in Clark Lea, the 'Dores are a massive pullback candidate this fall. They went 10-2 a year ago and barely missed the playoffs. This may be a 7-5 team.

The reason this loss cannot happen is Vanderbilt cannot gain any more confidence when facing Alabama. This is a place where the second-stringers could cake walk to victory only a few years ago. The last thing DeBoer and his staff need is for his team to have any fear when they patrol the Banks of the Cumberland. Winning on the road in the SEC is hard, but some stadiums are built to be taken over.

In short, if Alabama were to lose to Vanderbilt in Nashville again, then this probably not a playoff team.

4. Kentucky Wildcats (Sept. 12: Lexington, KY)

Let's be real. The chances of Alabama losing at Kentucky this early in the season are rather slim. We are talking about a team led by a first-time head coach in Will Stein, one that has serious work to do to develop any level of competency on offense. Stein may prove to be a great head coach, but DeBoer cannot allow for his entire team to play with its food, especially on the road in Lexington on Sept. 12.

If there is a baked-in advantage that could really serve Alabama here, it has to be when the game is being played. An early September kick favors Alabama massively. Stein will not have had enough time to instill his style of play in Lexington. Perhaps most importantly, there is always something tricky about playing Kentucky at night in the latter part of the season. It is a slightly difficult place to play at.

The idea of Alabama losing to Kentucky is baffling, but these are the kind of games DeBoer will lose.

3. Mississippi State Bulldogs (Oct. 3: Starkville, MS)

It has been ages since Alabama last lost to the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Even though they have played a boatload of games against each other over the years, this is far from a rivalry. The 90-Mile Drive has been incredibly one-sided, heavily in Alabama's favor for 20 years. However, Mississippi State has become feisty under Jeff Lebby. Maybe he can do something Dan Mullen never could?

ALSO READ: 5 pivotal games that will define Kalen DeBoer's third season leading Alabama football

Mississippi State may be at a talent deficiency in most SEC games it plays, but the Bulldogs will knock somebody off of note this year. They upended Arizona State in the non-conference a season ago. Not to say Alabama will fall to Mississippi State this year, but it is in Starkville. With the Georgia game looming large the following week, there is a non-zero chance Alabama could play sloppily here.

Alabama has not lost to Mississippi State since Nick Saban's first year on the job way back in 2007.

2. Auburn Tigers (Nov. 28: Tuscaloosa, AL)

You are seeing a trend here with all these SEC opponents for Alabama, right? A loss to any of them would set a bad precedent for the Crimson Tide program moving forward under DeBoer. Alabama does not lose to teams like Kentucky and Mississippi State. Up until very recently, it did not lose at places like Vanderbilt, but here we are... So let's not allow Alex Golesh to start 1-0 in the Iron Bowl.

Golesh may be a strong up-and-coming head coach, but he has work cut out for him at Auburn. He enters the program in its worst spot since the 1940s. It has been a disastrous decade down on The Plains for Alabama's arch rival. Given that this game will be at Bryant-Denny, all the pressure will be on DeBoer and Alabama to win this one. Keep in mind that this game could seal Alabama's playoff fate.

Alabama has not lost to Auburn since before COVID, so why should a loss to the Tigers be tolerated?

1. Florida State Seminoles (Sept. 19: Tuscaloosa, AL)

It goes without saying, but there is no way on god's green earth that DeBoer can say everything is fine in Tuscaloosa if the Crimson Tide lose both legs of their home-and-home with Florida State. Last year's road loss was beyond abysmal. Falling at home to this iteration of Florida State would be an unforgivable football sin. It is the one defeat DeBoer could suffer that will force him onto the hot seat.

To be exceedingly blunt, back-to-back losses to Florida State in the non-conference would sadly signify this is no longer a serious football program. It would almost be a fireable offense for DeBoer to go 0-for-2 vs. a Mike Norvell-led team nobody wants to be a part of. Replacing a legend is never easy, but losing to Florida State in back-to-back seasons would tell everyone this is not going to work out.

Another loss to Florida State would put DeBoer on a hotter seat than Norvell or Luke Fickell sit upon.

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