Alabama basketball is back on the doorstep of a new season, and the early national picture already has the Crimson Tide in familiar territory.
The Tide opens the 2026-27 campaign in three days, and the preseason respect is there again: Alabama checks in at No. 20 in the Preseason AP Top 25. That makes it six straight years that Nate Oats’ program has landed in the preseason poll.
Of course, the number that matters most for March is never the AP ranking. It’s the seed.
And with bracketology season already rolling, several outlets have taken their first crack at placing Alabama in the NCAA Tournament field. Sports Illustrated, ESPN, CBS and On3 have all offered up their early projections for where the Tide might land.
The roster looks very different this time around. Alabama brings in nine newcomers, and the size jump is impossible to miss. Twelve of the 15 players are at least 6-foot-6, a change that should help in areas where the Tide has run into trouble before.
“You look at some of the losses we had, a lot of those...we just kind of got manhandled on glass,” Oats said at SEC Tipoff '27 on Oct. 13. “So, the big point of emphasis for us in the offseason was getting significantly bigger, not just taller, kind of at the two, three and four.”
Last season ended in the Sweet 16 against Michigan, but Alabama still checked the boxes it was supposed to. The Tide began the year ranked No. 15 in the AP Top 25 and carried that same spot into March Madness. In the SEC, Alabama was picked to finish fourth and wound up tying for second.
The preseason tune-up also went well on paper. Alabama finished 3-0 with wins over Furman, Ole Miss and Auburn, though Oats still wasn’t completely satisfied.
In Other News...
Alabamas Playoff Outlook Just Took A Hit Before LSU
A bye week was supposed to be a quiet stretch for Alabama, but the latest FPI update still nudged the Crimson Tide in the wrong direction. Alabama slipped one spot to No. 6, while LSU climbed two places to No. 5, tightening the margin between the two teams just as the SEC race starts to sharpen and the stakes around their upcoming meeting keep rising.
The numbers also reflected how much movement came from around the league, with Missouri jumping nine spots to No. 19 after beating Arkansas and other SEC teams shifting based on recent results. For Alabama, the playoff picture barely changed but did soften a bit, with its probability dipping from 62.8% to 60.3%, while LSUs chances of beating the Tide ticked up from 55.1% to 57%, a small swing that still adds a little more pressure to the buildup. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas Playoff Push Now Hinges On Fixing One Problem Fast
Alabama comes out of its bye week still very much in the College Football Playoff conversation, but the next stretch will be shaped by how quickly the offense can clean up its sluggish starts. The matchup with LSU looms as a useful measuring stick, especially with the Tide trying to get more consistent early in games while also managing injuries up front. In the meantime, the staff has kept its focus on helping quarterback Keelon Russell settle in and on making sure the offense can function more smoothly from the opening snap.
The bigger picture is just as important for Alabama, which has spent the week trying to build depth across both sides of the ball for the grind ahead. Coaches want Russell comfortable enough to avoid unnecessary mistakes, and they are also pushing younger players to grow into larger roles as the season moves on. With the playoff race still alive, the Tides margin for error will depend on whether those fixes start showing up right away. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Shakeup Could Open Door For Alabama Recruiting Win
Florida States coaching change has already sent ripples through the recruiting trail, and Alabama is positioned to watch closely. After the Seminoles fired Mike Norvell following a disappointing start, the uncertainty around the program immediately became part of the conversation for prospects who had been tied to Florida State, including four-star safety Jernard Albright, who has visited Tuscaloosa twice recently.
Majay Thompsons decision to back off his Florida State pledge soon after the firing only added to the sense that the Seminoles class could be in flux. For Alabama, that kind of opening matters, especially with the Tide already in the mix for talented defensive backfield help and still evaluating where Thompson fits as his recruitment resets. [Read more 🡒]