Alabama Faces Setback with Key Injury Ahead of Bowl Game Against Michigan

The Alabama Crimson Tide were on the outside looking in of the College Football Playoff after the committee gave the nod to the SMU Mustangs. So, in his first season as the head coach, Kalen DeBoer and company will be playing in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

It’s not what Alabama fans hoped would be their destiny after replacing the best coach of all time Nick Saban, who retired after 2023, but it certainly could have been worse. While it’s under much different circumstances, the Crimson Tide will have a chance to avenge their College Football Playoff/Rose Bowl loss in 2023 to Michigan.

Unfortunately for the tide, they will be doing so without one of their best players and team leaders. Fifth-year safety Malachi Moore underwent surgery for what was deemed a “nagging’ injury, and won’t be able to play.

“Malachi Moore, he’s been going through an injury pretty much a lot of the season,” DeBoer said Wednesday via On3. “Just got to the point where he wasn’t going to be able to play, so I’m putting that out there. He’s having surgery today.

“He wanted to do everything he could to get out there, he was trying to find every…Trying to wait it out to see if he could possibly be something he’s able to participate in. Probably the biggest thing I’d say is he just grinded through the year with it. It’s not something recent, something that’s been ongoing.” Moore is out of eligibility and also accepted an invitation to the prestigious Reese’s Senior Bowl, which will give him the chance to be in front of NFL scouts and general managers.

In what was his final season in Tuscaloosa, Moore racked up 70 total tackles, two forced fumbles, eight pass deflections and two picks. He was also named First-Team All-SEC.

With Moore and Keon Sabb out with injuries and DeVonta Smith transferring to Notre Dame, the Tide will be relying on Bray Hubbard and a group of youngsters against Michigan.