It has become all too common a theme for Alabama under Kalen DeBoer. Against teams with a pulse, the Crimson Tide are going to start slow.
It happened last week against Kentucky, when the Crimson Tide fell behind 17-13 at halftime before rallying with a 32-0 second half against the Wildcats.It obviously happened in blowout losses in the postseason to Indiana and Georgia last year. It also happened in the opening round of the College Football Playoff against Oklahoma, where Alabama fell behind 17-0 before rallying to a 34-24 win.
And on Saturday at home against a Florida State team that embarrassed the Crimson Tide in Tallahassee a year ago, and as nearly three-touchdown favorites, it happened again.
Florida State jumped on Alabama 21-6 midway through the second quarter. A Keelon Russell touchdown pass to Cederian Morgan with 2:36 to go in the half trimmed the FSU lead to 21-13 before a second lightning delay sent the teams to the locker room just as the Crimson Tide looked to be gaining a little bit of momentum.
With Florida State getting the ball on the other side of the delay and to begin the third quarter, Alabama still has a big hole it has to dig itself out of. Again.
Another Alabama slow start has the Tide on the ropes against Florida State
Alabama was a 19.5-point favorite coming into this game. If the score holds, it would be one of the most stunning losses in the history of Bryant-Denny Stadium. Maybe it shouldn't be. Maybe we as fans are the fools for consistently falling for it over and over again.
Because at some point, you are who you are. And under DeBoer, Alabama is a team capable of beating anyone and capable of losing to anyone. This is a team that will consistently play down to perceived lower competition. It's a team that routinely comes out and plays flat week-by-week against any team with a noticeable pulse.
This is a Florida State team with a lame-duck coach in Mike Norvell. A team that fired its Athletic Director this week and looks prepared to completely clean house and start over again this offseason. And somehow, someway, Alabama can't figure out how to beat them.
The 'Noles are standing near the cliff, begging for someone to shove them off. Alabama tripped over itself and fell down the cliff instead.
DeBoer standing on the sideline and looking befuddled as it happens isn't winning over anyone on the fence. In fact, more and more are jumping to the other side, wondering why he was given a contract extension this offseason and how much longer the lowered standard is going to be accepted in Tuscaloosa.
Regardless of what happens in the last 32+ minutes of game time, it's clear that Alabama - as a team and as a program - has some soul-searching to do.
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