A few weeks ago, people were saying that Alabama looked lost beyond Tuscaloosa and that Kalen DeBoer couldn’t win on the road. And now, after yesterday’s 27-24 win over Missouri State, the narrative has been completely flipped. Apart from defeating two highly regarded SEC schools on their home field and racking up five straight wins, DeBoer is helping Saban’s legacy live on in a way few expected.

The Tide ended Missouri’s 15-game home winning run with a 27–24 victory as they left Faurot Field. The Tide has a new badge of honor with 15 straight home wins, which is the longest in college football history (15), tying Boise State and putting DeBoer in position to help Alabama cement one final mark under the shadow of the Saban era. That streak began in Week 3 of the 2023 season, right after Nick Saban’s 34-24 home loss to Texas.

Ty Simpson and Kalen DeBoer delivered when it mattered the most. Simpson faced fourth down twice on the last drive, and both times he came up clutch. On fourth-and-eight, Lotzeir Brooks, a freshman, hit a flawless 29-yard pass, and Daniel Hill threw a short touchdown to secure the victory.

“A year ago, we were not making the plays in the critical moments to win games,” DeBoer said. Well, Alabama is clearly learning from its mistakes. Even after beating the country’s No. 14 team on the road, DeBoer appeared to be more concerned with what went wrong than what went well. “Even though we made some plays in critical moments at the end, we also could have done a better job of putting the game away,” he said. His quarterback confirmed that as well. Simpson sounded more like someone who had expected more than just a win against a ranked opponent.

But the upcoming weeks are not gonna be easy. Tennessee is coming to Tuscaloosa, hoping to break the streak and the rivalry, followed by LSU and Oklahoma in November. DeBoer and his crew will need to work hard to earn every inch of this record if they are up for maintaining it.

From Saban to DeBoer: Crimson Tide’s home dominance continues

The fact that Kalen DeBoer, who came over this season with the burden of a legacy on his shoulders, has managed 10 of those 15 victories. With an average victory margin of 23.4 points at home, he has not only maintained the record but pushed it further.

As HC of the Crimson Tide, he has already won 10-0 at home, including victories over Missouri, Georgia, Ole Miss, and LSU, all of whom are ranked in the SEC. Alabama’s ability to remain stable under DeBoer speaks volumes at a time when elite programs frequently collapse during coaching changes.

But maintaining the fear factor among opponents is more important than just looking at the stats. Every team that enters Bryant-Denny is aware of the challenges they will face, including the noise, the discipline, and the unfaltering drive that hasn’t changed since Saban’s retirement. Only twice in the previous 26 home games have opponents scored 30 points or more in Tuscaloosa, and Alabama hasn’t lost consecutive home games since 2007.

After that shaky season-opening defeat to FSU, DeBoer’s Tide have finally turned the corner, and the next test is quickly approaching as Tennessee, LSU, and Oklahoma are all set to challenge the streak. And if Deboer can hold up against them, he might quietly be starting a legacy of his own at Alabama.