Where are the Alabama Crimson Tide in USA TODAY Sports’ way-too-early top 25 college football rankings for the 2026 season?
Not at the top.
The rankings, unveiled ahead of Monday’s College Football Playoff National Championship between the Indiana Hoosiers and Miami Hurricanes, see coach Kalen DeBoer’s team outside the top 10 at No. 11.
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Veteran college football analyst Paul Myerberg and USA TODAY Sports’ Erick Smith rank Alabama one spot below coach Mario Cristobal’s Hurricanes and one spot ahead of the 12th-ranked USC Trojans in their first set of too-early rankings for 2026.
Alabama is coming off a second straight four-loss season in 2025. But unlike coach Kalen DeBoer’s first year in Tuscaloosa after Nick Saban retired, the Crimson Tide reached the SEC Championship Game with a 10-2 regular season and won a College Football Playoff game (at Oklahoma).
But it’s the way Alabama’s season ended, a 38-3 blowout loss to the top-ranked Hoosiers in the Rose Bowl, that’s left the biggest impression on Myerberg and Smith heading into the offseason.
“The pressure is on Kalen DeBoer after a pair of four-loss seasons to start his tenure. The Rose Bowl loss to Indiana exposed issues on both sides of the ball that need addressing. The most-pressing is offensive line, which was partly addressed by Michigan transfers Ty Haywood and Kaden Strayhorn. The quarterback position will again have first-year starter with Austin Mack and Keelon Russell competing for the job. That means a dismal running game must improve.
“Getting receiver Ryan Williams back to his game-breaking best is another priority. On defense, Yhonzae Pierre returns as the key piece of the group that needs overall improvement. The defensive line has some concerns. The secondary has key holdovers Bray Hubbard and Keon Sabb.” –USA TODAY Sports, Paul Myerberg and Erick Smith.
Alabama football 2026 schedule
Alabama will open the 2026 college football season on Sept. 5 against East Carolina at Bryant-Denny Stadium. With the SEC moving to a nine-game conference schedule, the Tide’s SEC opener comes earlier than in years past: in Week 2 against Kentucky at Kroger Field in Lexington.
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Alabama hosts Florida State in Week 3 and faces South Carolina, Georgia, Texas A&M and Chattanooga at home before ending the season with the annual Iron Bowl showdown against Auburn on Nov. 28 at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
In addition to their game at Kentucky on Sept. 12, the Crimson Tide will visit Mississippi State, Tennessee, LSU and Vanderbilt in SEC play.
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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama football not in top 10 of too-early 2026 rankings
