Playoff pressure does not pause for holidays, and it rarely respects personal boundaries. Alabama OC Ryan Grubb learned that again on Christmas Day through a single comment posted beneath a family photo. He was home, celebrating Christmas with his wife and daughter in matching red-and-white pajamas. Even then, the noise followed.

“Merry Christmas from the Grubb family 🎄” Stephanie Grubb posted on December 25, sharing a photo beside a Christmas tree with Ryan and their daughter, Falynn. 

One reply cut through it quickly. 

“#FireGrubb.”

Stephanie did not ignore it, nor escalate it. Her reply was short and pointed, and it reframed the moment entirely. 

“And Merry Christmas to you! You all of people probably need some extra prayers,” she wrote. 

It was a reminder of what the day was meant to represent. The response also fit who Stephanie Grubb had been long before Alabama fans knew her name. She is not a coach’s wife defined by sidelines or recruiting weekends. She is an accomplished educator from Detroit with 18 years of experience as a high school counselor across Michigan. She later moved into administration as vice principal at Carter G. Woodson Charter School, overseeing academic strategy and student development. Her career has been steady, demanding, and impactful in its own right. She was not someone rattled by online criticism.

Ryan and Stephanie married on February 24, 2017, as his coaching career was beginning to take off. With that rise came relocations, long hours, and the constant evaluation that defines college football. Their daughter Falynn was born in October 2018, reshaping priorities in a profession that rarely slows down. Ryan Grubb has spoken publicly about balancing fatherhood with coaching, marking family milestones with the same care as wins. When Stephanie earned her PhD, he made it public, writing proudly about “Dr. Stephanie Millender–Grubb.” The foundation has always been family first. 

It also matters because frustration around Ryan Grubb did not appear in a vacuum. Alabama’s CFP first-round game at Oklahoma tested patience early. The Crimson Tide fell behind 17-0 in Norman, and the offense struggled to find rhythm. Online reaction turned quickly, as it often does. What followed, though, told a fuller story.

“It wasn’t pretty for sure,” he said after the game. “But I got in the locker room, and I just told the guys, that’s the guys I know. That’s the fight that I saw all the way back in August.” 

Alabama responded with a 34-7 run, fueled by defensive scores, improved communication, and calculated adjustments. The Tide closed out a 34-24 road win. They tied the largest comeback in CFP history. 

“Job not done,” Ryan Grubb said afterward. “We’re still rolling.” 

Can Alabama overcome the odds? 

Alabama will face undefeated Indiana in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day, with a CFP semifinal spot on the line. The Hoosiers enter as the No. 1 seed after a perfect regular season and a Big Ten Championship win over Ohio State. Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza leads the team as BetMGM has them favored by 6.5 points, with the total set at 48.5. But some people are still vouching for the Crimson Tide.

Louis Riddick does not see an Alabama win as far-fetched. Speaking on Get Up, he pointed to improving health and QB Ty Simpson’s development. 

“Alabama is showing you, as they continue to get healthy,” he said. “And as Ty Simpson really settles in, this is a football team that can make explosive plays down the field.”

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Riddick also emphasized Alabama’s defensive playmakers and the one-game finality of the playoff. 

“This isn’t a series, it’s a one-off. All you have to do is win one game,” he added. “Survive and advance. I, without a doubt, feel as though they can pull off the upset.”

Even Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, beaten by Indiana earlier this season, has publicly voiced support for Alabama. That is the nature of this matchup. Respect on both sides and no margin for error.

Answers are coming quickly. Alabama and Indiana meet on January 1 at the Rose Bowl. For Ryan Grubb, the stakes are clear. For his family, the message was already delivered on Christmas morning.