Alabama limped into the SEC Championship Game with a roster beat up on both sides of the ball. It probably wouldn't have made much of a difference against a determined Georgia team, but the Crimson Tide has been well short of 100% for a while now.
During the 28-7 defeat, two more key defenders went down with injuries in sophomore cornerback Zabien Brown and senior linebacker Justin Jefferson. According to Kalen DeBoer, both Brown and Jefferson should be good to go for the College Football Playoff:
DeBoer expects Zabien Brown and Justin Jefferson to be good to go for CFP game.
— Nick Kelly (@_NickKelly) December 7, 2025
Despite the loss to Georgia, Alabama remained at No. 9 in the College Football Playoff rankings. As a result, the Crimson Tide will face off in a rematch with Oklahoma on the road on December 19th in Norman. That gives Alabama 12 days to get healthy - and figure out the issues that have been ailing this team for the last few weeks.
Alabama has a chance to get healthy before playing Oklahoma in the CFP
Along with Brown and Jefferson healthy, Alabama should get back multiple key players who were out for the SEC Championship Game. On offense, that would include three starters in RB Jam Miller, TE Josh Cuevas, and LG Kam Dewberry. Miller and Cuevas were considered game-time decisions against Georgia, but neither was able to go. Dewberry was available, but didn't play with Geno VanDeMark slotting in at LG until an injury knocked him out of the game, and he was replaced by William Sanders.
Miller's presence in the backfield was sorely missed. Alabama finished with negative rushing yards against Georgia. Cuevas has been missed for weeks as the safety valve for Ty Simpson.
Alabama will hopefully also get good news on starting Bandit LT Overton, who missed the SEC Championship Game with an undisclosed illness. There hasn't yet been an update on Overton, but he was obviously missed on defense as well as special teams.
According to DeBoer, Overton's absence directly led to the blocked punt that broke serve in the first quarter. Overton is usually in the spot that would have made a check due to how Georgia aligned, which was missed with him unable to play.
DeBoer seemed optimistic about both Cuevas and Miller, as well as Overton and backup defensive lineman Kelby Collins, who also missed Saturday's game with an undisclosed illness.
A wide variety of injuries haven't been Alabama's only problem the last few weeks, but it certainly hasn't helped a team that needs all the help it can get.