Will must-wins as heavy favorites be troublesome for the Alabama Crimson Tide?

The Alabama Crimson Tide is a two-touchdown or more favorite in its last two regular season games. In early September with the Oklahoma Sooners coming off a 10-3, 2023 season, the November trip to Norman was considered a challenge. With the 5-5 Sooners battling for a bowl trip and Brent Venables battling to keep his job, the must-win, away game for Alabama is not a 'sure' win but a game Alabama should win. A week later, Hugh Freeze's Auburn team will be a big underdog in Tuscaloosa.

Alabama fans who were in the Bryant-Denny stands in November 2010, know there can be Iron Bowl voodoo in Tuscaloosa. Freeze will try his best to conjure it and should fail - miserably for Auburn fans.

It is easy and not wrong to believe an improving Alabama Crimson Tide can only lose to Oklahoma if the Tide beats itself. It is almost impossible to believe Alabama would play bad enough, while Auburn plays so uncharacteristically well that an Iron Bowl upset would result. Then again, complacency is the enemy of success. Fortunately, the Crimson Tide staff and players know Alabama must continue to improve. After beating the Sooners and Tigers, nothing will come easily.

It has been a tough, but good season for the Alabama Crimson Tide. A 10-2 regular season would surpass nearly all predictions from outside the Alabama nation. It would also place Alabama on a path to another potentially great Alabama Crimson Tide season.

Kalen DeBoer does not offer headline quotes as Nick Saban often did. Still, his words sometimes include understated, but important insights. After Alabama drubbed Mercer, DeBoer talked about how his team had handled the week's preparation. "Guys worked hard all week long. Thought they really had a good demeanor about them. They’re working on themselves individually to one, build on what we did a week ago and go into the tail end of the season."

If the Alabama Crimson Tide was going to succumb to complacency; it would have happened last week. That it didn't, puts Alabama in a good place to prepare for future games, while continuing to improve.

Praise for Alabama Crimson Tide Defense

DeBoer also said something important about Kane Wommack's defense, "I think there’s a mindset about our defense ... I just really like where we’re at. We’re hunting the ball." Alabama fans should find those words comforting.

As far as the SEC Championship Game, if Alabama beats Oklahoma and Auburn an Missouri wins either against Mississippi State or Arkansas, the Crimson Tide will advance to Atlanta.