How has Kalen DeBoer fared against Top 10 opponents?

The next time Kalen DeBoer leads his Alabama Football team on the walk of champions, it'll be in the hours preceeding the highly anticipated Top-5 matchup between the Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs. It's the game that will provide a measuring stick on this current Alabama team, and fair or not, a measuring stick for the fanbase and the new guy.

It'll be DeBoer's first real test as Nick Saban's successor. His first opportunity to take on a ranked team. First impressions matter, probably too much. A loss to the Bulldogs would likely have at least a section of the fanbase questioning if DeBoer is the right guy and if Jalen Milroe is still the right quarterback. Even against an opponent as good as Georgia, Alabama fans always expect to win. Anything less is unacceptable.

This will be DeBoer's first crack at a marquee matchup at Alabama, but he's coached in plenty of big games before. He led Washington all the way to the National Championship game last season before losing to the same Michigan Wolverines that foiled the Tide in Pasadena.

So how has Kalen DeBoer fared in Top 10 matchups in his career?

2022

In DeBoer's first season at Washington in 2022, his Huskies only played one Top-10 team, but faced three other ranked opponents, including 11th ranked Michigan State.

On November 12th, DeBoer took his 25th ranked Huskies on the road to face No. 6 Oregon as 13.5 point underdogs. Led by a 400-yard passing day from Michael Penix, Washington rallied back from a 34-27 deficit with only 3:54 remaining.

Penix hit Taj Davis for a 64-yard touchdown to tie the game at 34, and then Oregon foolishly rolled the dice on a 4th-and-1 from their own 34-yard-line. Washington stuffed it, and then Peyton Henry hit a 43-yard field goal with under a minute to play. Washington's defense held, and DeBoer had his first signature win in Seattle.

Washington beat the other three ranked teams on its schedule in 2022, defeating No. 11 Michigan State in September, knocking off No. 23 Oregon State the week before they took down Oregon, and then defeating No. 20 Texas in the Alamo Bowl.

2023

2023 Washington took on all-comers, facing seven ranked teams on its schedule and winning the first six contests.

Specifically against Top-10 opponents, Washington got it started by taking on No. 8 Oregon in October at Husky Stadium once again as two touchdown underdogs. For the second year in a row, it was a fourth quarter comeback by the Huskies aided by an ill-fated fourth down decision by the Ducks.

Trailing 33-29, Washington stuffed Oregon on a 4th down. Two plays later and Penix hit Rome Odunze for an 18-yard touchdown to put the Huskies up 36-33 with 1:38 to go. Oregon missed a field goal as time expired.

Most pundits thought Washington's win over Oregon was a fluke, and when they faced off in a rematch, the Ducks entered as 9.5 point favorites. It was the same result, with Washington prevailing by three-points for the third straight time against Oregon. The Huskies played from ahead for most of this one, but blew a 20-3 lead and trailed going into the fourth quarter.

Washington put together two back-breaking touchdown drives of 10+ plays in the fourth to come away with the Pac-12 title and clinch a spot in the College Football Playoff.

In the semifinals against Texas, DeBoer's team was underdogs again against a Top-10 team, with the Longhorns closing as a 3.5 point favorite. DeBoer led Washington to the 37-31 upset win to clinch a spot in the title game.

His undefeated run against Top-10 teams came to an end when Michigan beat Washington for the title, but overall DeBoer is 4-1 in his career against Top-10 teams. He's been similarly good against Top-25 opponents.

DeBoer is 12-2 against Top-25 opponents in his career, with one of the losses coming during his time at Frenso State. He beat a ranked UCLA and a ranked San Diego State on the road in 2021 with the Bulldogs. He won his first 10-games against ranked opponents at Washington before the loss to Michigan in the title game.

DeBoer has proven he's a big game coach. In the SEC it just means more, but DeBoer is used to being the underdog, which the Tide is likely to be when Georgia comes to Tuscaloosa. You can bet he will have his team prepared and in the best position to succeed.