The Tigers coach is 5–9 against ranked opponents over the last four seasons after a throttling by Alabama, creating a crisis of confidence.

Alabama game was briefly delayed in the third quarter when fans began throwing debris onto the field at Tiger Stadium.

A handful of college football fan accounts have posted Herbstreit's reaction to the incident. Texas Longhorns fans popularized the reaction when they hosted the Georgia Bulldogs in Week 8. During the 30-15 loss for the Longhorns, fans threw trash on the field, reacting to a pass interference call that took away a pick-six.