Keeping the faith in the aftermath of a second straight defeat isn't easy. That's especially true when the second such defeat is as humiliating as Alabama's loss in Knoxville yesterday to Tennessee. The Crimson Tide was outclassed in every conceivable way. From the coaches to the players, the Vols were flat out better.
That's tough to stomach for a fanbase that was certain a week ago that Alabama had officially turned the corner and was a legitimate national title contender in 2026.
They didn't look like a contender in Knoxville. They looked like a team completely unprepared to play, something all too familiar in DeBoer's three seasons in Tuscaloosa.
But while Alabama fans might be struggling to find faith this Sunday, oddsmakers are still showing plenty of it in the Crimson Tide.
Per FanDuel, Alabama is currently a 15.5-point home favorite next week against Texas A&M.
Alabama opens as a large favorite over Texas A&M in a must-win game in Tuscaloosa
A banged-up Alabama team is pretty desperate for a bye week so they can self-reflect and get healthy. They've got to get through one more game before that much-needed week off.
Texas A&M, which has been one of the nation's most disappointing teams this season, comes to Tuscaloosa with similar desperation for a win. The Aggies are just 4-3 overall after beginning the year ranked inside the Top 10 of the AP Poll.
Unfortunately for Alabama, A&M got a tune-up game against The Citadel last week while Alabama played two insanely physical games in a row against Georgia and Tennessee. The Aggies will be well-rested and in a lot better physical shape than the Crimson Tide.
Alabama should play this game with a chip on its shoulder, with the doubts bubbling both internally and nationwide. But A&M has similar desperation too, as they look to avoid a fourth loss before the calendar flips to November.
Alabama being such a heavy favorite is surprising, however. It doesn't mean much, though. The Tide was the favorite against both Georgia and Tennessee, and both those games ended in defeats. This one is a bit more substantial, though.
Texas A&M has struggled mightily on offense this season, but the cure to what ails Mike Elko's crew is an Alabama defense that has refused to be aggressive, even against teams that can't stretch the field vertically.
Alabama's offense will be up against it with Elko being one of the nation's top defensive minds. Keelon Russell and the Tide haven't managed much on that side of the ball against elite defensive coaching staffs the last two weeks.
Something will have to drastically change this week against Texas A&M for Alabama to not only cover that lofty spread but to just win the game by any amount.
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