Kirk Herbstreit walked away from Alabama's Week 2 victory with a renewed sense of optimism. The Crimson Tide trailed Kentucky at halftime on the road before storming back with 32 unanswered points to secure a 45-17 win, and the ESPN analyst believes that comeback says a lot about Kalen DeBoer's squad.
“I was really impressed with Alabama, honestly, because Alabama continues to show how challenging it is after the Nick Saban-era, based on the optics and the perception,” Herbstreit said on his podcast. “And they went into that environment … and Kentucky kept coming. I mean, they just kept playing them.”
The Tide's performance was far from perfect. Sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell threw two interceptions and lost a fumble, but the ground game, led by Daniel Hill's 104 rushing yards and a touchdown, helped steady the ship. Herbstreit noted that he received texts from friends wondering if Kentucky could pull off a stunning upset, but Alabama's response silenced those doubts.
“Give Alabama all the credit because they did get tested, and they did respond,” Herbstreit said. “And I think, with a young quarterback, hit some adversity. Again, it’s all about growing in the non-conference and these early conference games, and that’s what Alabama did. So I feel a lot better about who Alabama is, only because of the environment that they were in and because they were trailing in the first half on the road and had to respond.”
The slow start, Herbstreit argued, was a valuable learning experience for a team still finding its identity. The Tide's ability to overcome a pesky Kentucky squad and take the crowd out of the game showed maturity, especially for a young quarterback navigating his first road test.
Not everyone shared Herbstreit's enthusiasm. His co-host, Joey Galloway, remained skeptical after watching the Tide struggle early. “I didn’t walk away from the Alabama game feeling great,” Galloway said. “Good job. You finished, you grew, but I think there’s a lot more growth coming before I feel really good about Alabama.”
Alabama fans, meanwhile, have shown a mix of anxiety and passion, with some already calling for changes after the scare. The chatter around the program has been loud, but a win is a win, and the Tide now turn their attention to a marquee matchup.
Alabama will host Florida State this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC, a chance to build on the momentum from their second-half surge. For Herbstreit, the defensive coordinator chatter and early struggles are all part of the growing pains, but the response in Lexington was a positive sign.
“They did get tested, and they did respond,” Herbstreit reiterated. “That’s what good teams do.”
