The Alabama Crimson Tide has an absolutely massive game this weekend in Baton Rouge against the LSU Tigers, attempting to keep their playoff hopes alive coming out of the bye as an underdog against Lane Kiffin.

For Kalen DeBoer, this is not just a huge opportunity to re-establish this Alabama team as a contender in the SEC and for the College Football Playoff, but it might just be the biggest game he has coached in his entire career. And yes, this is a guy who has coached in a national title game at Washington.

But, not three weeks after that game, he was on the tarmac in Tuscaloosa making the biggest jump on the coaching ladder, attempting to fill the un-fillable shoes of Nick Saban. In the three years since that moment, there have been a whole lot of ups and downs for DeBoer, and right now, it feels like the program under his guidance is at a little bit of a fork in the road.

Are they going to be a yearly contender who is a threat for the national title and can beat anyone they go up against? Or, are they going to continue to have fans reminiscing on the days of Saban and wondering why DeBoer cannot complete the impossible task of being like his predecessor?

A victory at LSU and over Lane Kiffin would mean more than just another SEC win. It would prove to a whole lot of the doubters that this coaching staff is the best one for Alabama right now, and that DeBoer is continuing to lay the steps to bring this program back to the top of the mountain.

On the flip side, a loss — especially a dominating one — would affirm the beliefs of those doubters that DeBoer is not the man for the job. Not to mention the fact it would hand Kiffin his first victory over Alabama, one which he wants more than any other.

It’s not to say DeBoer is going to be fired if his team does lose in Baton Rouge this week, but this is an opportunity that does not come around often.

With great opportunity comes the weight of great consequences as well.

Saturday night has all the makings of an all-time classic, and win or lose, the reaction is going to be a strong one.