By: Kenneth Harrison

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Alabama has been a perennial power in college football for decades. Any season where they don’t win a national championship seems like a disappointment.

Nick Saban coached the Crimson Tide from 2007-23 and was arguably the greatest coach of all time. He led them to six national championships and 9 SEC titles. As you can see, he’s a tough act to follow.

Kalen DeBoer stepped in as his replacement in 2024. He led Washington to the national championship game the year before that and had a record of 25-3 with the Huskies. So far, he has not met the expectations of Alabama fans.

They were 9-4 in 2024. In 2025, they were 11-4 and won a road College Football Playoff game against Oklahoma. They were obliterated in the Rose Bowl by Indiana, 38-3.

The Crimson Tide finished 125^th in the nation in rushing in 2025, averaging 104.1 yards per game. Bama has been known for their physicality so that is surprising. The question is will that change in 2026?

They enter this season ranked #13. The offensive line has improved in Fall camp. Adrian Klemm is the new position coach and they are starting an entirely different o-line from last season.

“You can just see there’s more and more confidence,” DeBoer said. “I would just say, generally speaking, this week you are not having busts like we would have week one. You are seeing a gel. Now you are seeing holes open up for the running backs to run through, and we broke down what an explosive run play is and what it take sat the beginning of fall camp. And that’s the yards you get before contact. That’s making a missed tackle, you know? There is a formula to that when you play the percentages. And I think you are seeing more and more of that happen, but it starts all up front with the offensive line.”

The QB competition is between Keelon Russell and Austin Mack. We should find out who the starter will be in about one week.

The team is hoping talented junior WR Ryan Coleman-Williams can be more consistent in 2026. As a freshman he had 48 catches, 865 yards and 8 touchdowns. He also had 2 rushing scores. Last season, he had 49 receptions, 689 yards and 4 scores. He also had a lot of drops.

Bama lost over 20 players in the transfer portal and brought in 19 players. Some of the key players are OT Jayvin James (Miss State), Edge Desmond Umeozulu (South Carolina), IOL Nick Brooks (Texas), DL Terrance Green (Oregon), WR Noah Rogers (NC State), LB Caleb Woodson (VA Tech), TE Josh Ford (Oklahoma State), OL Kaden Strayhorn (Michigan) and DL Devan Thompkins (USC).

They also signed the top running back in the class of 2026, EJ Crowell.

Here is the schedule:

9/5 vs East Carolina

9/12 @ Kentucky

9/19 vs Florida State

9/26 vs South Carolina

10/3 @ Miss State

10/10 vs #3 Georgia

10/17 @ #20 Tennessee

10/24 vs #8 Texas A&M

11/7 @ #11 LSU

11/14 @ Vanderbilt

11/21 vs Chattanooga

11/28 vs Auburn

Alabama should start the season strong. They should get revenge against FSU after losing the season opener to them. After the first five games, the schedule gets tough.

The four game stretch against UGA, Tennessee, Texas A&M and LSU could make or break the season. I think they have to win at least two of those games to make the playoffs.

I predict Alabama to win nine regular season games.