Texas’ second game ever played in Tuscaloosa, more than 100 years since the first, produced an eerily similar result. The first, in 1902, saw Texas defeat Alabama 10-0. The story in the Austin-American Statesman read, “The Alabama boys are by no means dissatisfied with the result, as everyone expected Texas to win by a larger score.”

The 2023 edition of Alabama-Texas ended with the Longhorns winning by a 10-point margin yet again, but the reaction is starkly different. There’s plenty of dissatisfaction from Alabama, and nationally, a larger conversation will take place about who the 2023 Crimson Tide are and what that means for the sport.

Alabama’s 34-24 loss to Texas on Saturday has some historical significance. It marks the first home, nonconference loss since Nick Saban’s first season in 2007 (21-14 to UL Monroe) and its first double-digit home loss since 2004 (20-3 to South Carolina). One loss isn’t uncommon as only two national title teams under Saban were undefeated, but it’s how Alabama lost that’s alarming: undisciplined play, turnovers and losing at the line of scrimmage.

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