No. 20 Alabama is back home on Nov. 6 for its second game of the 2026-27 season, and Arkansas State comes in with a familiar face on the sideline. Ryan Pannone, now leading the Red Wolves, spent the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons as an assistant under Nate Oats in Tuscaloosa.
That stretch lined up with two of Alabama’s most explosive offensive teams. The Crimson Tide led the nation in points per game in both of Pannone’s seasons on staff, and in 2024-25 they also topped the country in possessions per game, which made them the fastest-paced program in college basketball. Pannone’s first year at Alabama was the Final Four run.
He took over at Arkansas State last season after Bryan Hodgson - another coach from Oats’ tree - left for South Florida. Hodgson is now in his first year as Providence’s head coach. Pannone guided the Red Wolves to a 20-12 finish in 2025-26.
Alabama enters at 1-0 after rolling past Sam Houston 96-74 in its opener on Nov. 3.
The Tide forced 23 turnovers, their most takeaways in a game since 2012, then shook off a choppy first half with a 16-2 burst after the break. Oats wasn’t thrilled with the opening 20 minutes, but Alabama pulled away and got balanced production across the board, with seven players scoring at least eight points.
London Jemison and Boise State transfer Drew Fielder paced the team with 15 points each.
Arkansas State opened by edging Toledo 71-70 in the MAC-SBC Challenge. Tameron Ferguson led the way with 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting and delivered the go-ahead free throw with four seconds left.
Layne Taylor added 13 points, while Aaron McGee and Jordan Pyke each finished with 11. Pyke also grabbed nine rebounds off the bench.
The Crimson Tide have handled this matchup before, owning a 4-0 edge in the all-time series that began on Dec. 11, 1969.
The most recent meeting came on Nov. 8, 2024, when Alabama beat Arkansas State 88-79 at home in a messy game. Mark Sears scored 19 points for the Tide, though he needed 12 shots and went 0 for 5 from three while hitting 11 of 16 at the line.
Alabama shot just 6-for-31 from deep that night, but its work inside produced double-figure scoring from Labaron Philon, Derrion Reid, Jarin Stevenson, Grant Nelson and Clifford Omoruyi.
Radio coverage will come from the Crimson Tide Sports Network, with Chris Stewart on play-by-play, Bryan Passink as analyst and Roger Hoover on the sideline. The pregame show begins one hour before tipoff.
In Other News...
Alabamas CFP Spot Just Ignited A Debate Fans Saw Coming
The first College Football Playoff rankings came with Alabama sitting at No. 5, a placement that immediately stood out because it came after two recent losses. CFP chair Hunter Yurachek said the committee weighed head-to-head comparisons and strength of schedule in arriving at the spot, a reminder that the early rankings often say as much about the committees process as they do about the teams themselves.
Still, the reaction was swift and loud across social media, where plenty of fans and analysts pushed back on the Crimson Tides position. For Alabama, the number next to its name is only the starting point, but the debate it triggered is exactly the kind of scrutiny that follows a team with playoff expectations and a rsum strong enough to keep it in the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas Playoff Case Just Got Backing Fans Will Want To Hear
Alabamas playoff position got a little more context this week, and it came straight from the chair of the College Football Playoff Committee. Hunter Yurachek said the Crimson Tides No. 5 ranking is being driven by quality wins over Kentucky, South Carolina and Mississippi State, even with the loss to Tennessee still part of the discussion.
Yurachek also pointed to the committees reasoning in the broader rankings, noting Alabama was placed ahead of Kentucky because of the head-to-head result, while Indiana and Ohio State were handled differently since they were not compared that way. For Alabama, the timing matters too, with a trip to LSU in Baton Rouge coming Saturday and another chance to strengthen a rsum the committee clearly respects. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Heads To LSU With One Road Problem Still Looming
Alabamas trip to LSU comes with plenty of weight beyond the usual SEC backdrop, as both teams enter Week 10 ranked in the top 15 and the matchup carries the kind of late-season implications that can shape the conference race. It also brings together Kalen DeBoer and Lane Kiffin for the first time, adding another layer to a game that already has enough intrigue on its own.
For Alabama, though, the bigger question may be how the offense looks away from home. DeBoer is still unbeaten against LSU, and the Tides defense will be trying to keep LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt from settling in after some turnover issues against Alabamas strong front. If Alabama can solve its road issues, this becomes a very different kind of test than the one that has lingered over the Tide away from Tuscaloosa. [Read more 🡒]