Alabama football may have lost to Texas and Michigan in 2023, but its worst performance came against South Florida. On the road, with weather that caused both a delay in play and a broadcast nightmare scenario for ESPN, where a good portion of the game was shown from one end zone camera, hope seemed lost for the Crimson Tide.

With Tyler Buchner starting at quarterback, and Ty Simpson taking over after Jalen Milroe struggled in the prior week’s loss to the Longhorns, the Alabama offense was stagnant. Fortunately for Alabama, South Florida didn’t play especially well either, and UA escaped with a 17-3 victory, adding one of the touchdowns late.

The Crimson Tide used the ugly performance as a pivot point, going on a run to an SEC title and College Football Playoff appearance. But for a moment, hope was in short supply.

On Saturday, Alabama plays the Bulls again.

“We’ll just see them on Saturday,” linebacker Jihaad Campbell said when asked whether there was extra motivation for the Tide after the 2023 game. “That’s what we’re preparing for right now.”

It’s a completely new era in Tuscaloosa. Nick Saban has retired, he’ll be honored before and during Saturday’s game, and Kalen DeBoer is in charge.

DeBoer said some players might feel extra motivation for the rematch with the Bulls, but he wasn’t using the 2023 game to motivate. Offensive guard Tyler Booker also said the Tide “don’t want to bring last year into this year,” but acknowledged the temptation.

“We know how that game went,” Booker said Tuesday. “We know that we didn’t play to our standard so we have to make sure that we go out there and take everybody seriously and treat everybody with respect. Respect all, but fear none.”

USF brings a similar group to Saturday’s game. Quarterback Byrum Brown returns, as does head coach Alex Golesh, who has given Alabama fits, both with the Bulls and as Tennessee’s offensive coordinator for the Volunteers’ 2022 win against UA.

South Florida beat the brakes off of Bethune-Cookman to open the season, winning 48-3. The Bulls will hope to continue the offensive fireworks against Alabama.

Defensive line coach Freddie Roach, who was part of the 2023 staff, emphasized that the Tide can’t take the game lightly.

“They are a good football team,” Roach said Wednesday. “They showed us that last year. They’ve done a tremendous job. The staff has done a tremendous job. We’ve got to go out and make it about us. We’ve got to do what we’re supposed to do to give us an opportunity to be successful.”

Roach was one of two Crimson Tide assistants to return from last season. He’s joined on DeBoer’s staff by running backs coach Robert Gillespie.

According to Gillespie, the coaches didn’t have to do much to motivate the players from last season.

“I don’t think anyone in the program feels like we played to a standard that we should play to at Alabama, regardless of who we’re playing” Gillespie said. “Obviously South Florida is a really good team. They do a good job. They’re going to go play hard. But we just have to worry about ourselves. It’s always about us, not who we’re playing.”

Alabama and South Florida are scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m. CT Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game will be aired on ESPN.