Kalen DeBoer Playoff record: Alabama Coach's top games, stats, achievements, and more explored

The Alabama Crimson Tide appointed Kalen DeBoer as coach following Nick Saban's surprise retirement. DeBoer earned the job after leading the Washington Huskies to an unbeaten 2023 college football regular season before they lost to the Michigan Wolverines in the National Championship Game.

The Crimson Tide went 9-3 in his first year in charge, missing out on the playoffs. However, they have a bowl game against the Michigan Wolverines to prepare for.

Let's examine DeBoer's postseason record as we count down to the second round of the 2024-25 college football playoffs.

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Kalen DeBoer's Playoff record

Top games

Here's a look at three playoff games that capture the brilliance of Kalen DeBoer as a coach.

#3 Washington 13, Michigan 34

After a historic unbeaten regular season, Kalen DeBoer guided his team to a national championship. The Huskies entered the game as the slight underdogs against a Michigan Wolverines team coached by Jim Harbaugh.

DeBoer's side tried their best but were eventually outdone by a Michigan team with a chip on their shoulder. Star quarterback Michael Penix Jr. threw for 255 yards and a touchdown, ending an impressive collegiate football career. The game ended up being both DeBoer's last as Huskies coach, and the Alabama Crimson Tide later snapped him up.

#2 Washington 37, Texas 31

The Texas Longhorns are a collegiate football powerhouse, and the 2023 squad was filled with elite talent. Steve Sarkisian led the team to an 11-1 regular season record, and they soared into the college football playoffs.

However, that was until they met the DeBoer-coached Huskies. The Huskies scored 37 points on the Longhorns, sealing their spot in the championship game.

Michael Penix Jr. was excellent, with 430 passing yards and two touchdowns. Future NFL draftees Rome Odunze and Ja'Lynn Polk had over 120 receiving yards in the victory.

#1 Sioux Falls 25, Lindenwood 22

Before he turned heads at the Division 1 level, Kalen DeBoer thrived in the NAIA with Sioux Falls. He won three Championships with the program, the last possibly being his finest.

After going 15-0 in the regular season, DeBoer led his team to a hard-nosed 25-22 win over a strong Lindenwood side. Adam Lopez's second-half 91 yards kickoff return was the catalyst for the win, rounding out DeBoer's tenure in style.

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Playoff Stats

Kalen DeBoer has coached in 21 playoff games (two in the college football playoffs with the Washington Huskies and 19 in the NAIA playoffs with Sioux Falls). He has won 18 games, losing just three (one loss in the CFP and two in the NAIA).

Achievements

Kalen DeBoer has three NAIA Championships, one Pac-12 Conference title and four Great Plains Athletic Conference titles.

DeBoer also has a string of personal accolades, including but not limited to three AFCA NAIA Coach of the Year Awards, three NAIA Coach of the Year Awards, two AP Pac-12 Coach of the Year Awards, the 2023 AP Coach of the Year and the 2023 Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award.