When Kalen DeBoer steps onto the sidelines for the 2026 season, he’ll share something very important with the Alabama fanbase: a hunger for success that matches the program’s sky-high standards. In Tuscaloosa, the expectations never waver - it’s national championship or bust. And while DeBoer is just getting started, the pressure to deliver is already building.
Let’s be clear - Alabama isn’t being talked about as a title favorite heading into this season. Early preseason projections, for what they’re worth in January, have the Crimson Tide floating anywhere from No. 11 to No.
- That’s unfamiliar territory for a program that’s grown accustomed to seeing its name etched into the top five before a single snap is played.
But if history tells us anything, it’s that climbing from outside the top 10 to the national championship podium is a steep, uphill battle.
Since the BCS era kicked off in 1998, only three teams have pulled off the improbable run from outside the top 18 in the preseason AP Poll to national champions. Indiana just did it - a Cinderella story that’s still fresh in everyone’s minds.
Before that, it was Oklahoma in 2000 (starting at No. 19) and Auburn in 2010 (beginning at No. 22).
That’s three teams in nearly three decades. So, while it’s not impossible, the odds aren’t exactly in Alabama’s favor.
On the flip side, 19 of the last 27 national champions were preseason top-five teams. Eleven were ranked either No. 1 or No.
- That’s not just a trend - that’s a blueprint.
The path to a national title almost always starts with high expectations and a roster built to meet them.
So, does that mean Alabama has no shot in 2026? Not quite.
The Tide have made plenty of noise from the low teens before. Tennessee won it all from No. 10 in 1998, Ohio State did it from No. 13 in 2002, and Florida State made their run from No. 11 in 2013.
If Alabama lands in that range, history gives them a puncher’s chance - not a favorite’s edge, but certainly not a long shot.
And let’s not forget how quickly things can change once the season kicks off. A few dominant performances early on, and suddenly the conversation shifts.
Momentum builds. Belief spreads.
In August, when Fall Camp heats up and the pads start popping, don’t be surprised if the Tide faithful start talking themselves into a championship run. That’s part of the DNA in Tuscaloosa - unwavering belief, even when the outside world isn’t buying in.
There’s one more piece of Alabama lore that looms large over DeBoer’s tenure. Since the days of Bear Bryant, no Crimson Tide head coach has made it past four seasons without delivering a national title.
That’s not just a stat - it’s a standard. And while a couple of those coaches stepped away for reasons beyond the win-loss column, the message is clear: at Alabama, the clock is always ticking.
So, as DeBoer prepares to lead the Tide into a new era, the stakes couldn’t be higher. He’s taking over a program that doesn’t rebuild - it reloads. And while the preseason rankings may not scream “contender,” the expectations inside the building haven’t changed one bit.
This is Alabama. The goal is always the same.