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Alabama enters the 2026 season seeking to reclaim college football standing

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 5, 2026, 2:33 AM

Last updated Sep 5, 2026

Alabama enters the 2026 season seeking to reclaim college football standing

Summary

The Alabama Crimson Tide open the 2026 campaign ranked No. 11 in the preseason AP Top 25 with questions regarding their status as a national title contender. Head coach Kalen DeBoer enters his third season at the helm following two years that saw the program drop eight games despite multiple College Football Playoff appearances. The team faces significant roster turnover, headlined by Keelon Russell stepping into the starting quarterback role after the departure of Ty Simpson. While Alabama maintains elite recruiting and transfer portal talent, staff expectations remain centered on competing for SEC and national championships. Navigating a competitive SEC schedule serves as the primary obstacle as the program attempts to establish a new era of dominance in the post-Nick Saban.

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Status Watch

•Alabama ranks No. 11 in the preseason AP Top 25 entering 2026
•Keelon Russell replaces Ty Simpson as the starting quarterback
•Kalen DeBoer has guided the team to the College Football Playoff and SEC Championship Game
•The program recorded eight losses over the first two seasons under DeBoer

Latest Updates

2:33 AMYahoo Sports — Can Alabama Return to the Top of College Football in 2026?

What they're saying

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The Alabama Crimson Tide enter the 2026 college football season with something they haven’t had in quite some time: something to prove. Under head coach Kalen DeBoer, Alabama has reached the College Football Playoff and SEC Championship Game, but the Crimson Tide have also lost eight games during DeBoer’s first two seasons. That has created…
— Yahoo Sports

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