Alabama’s latest push back into the win column has the Crimson Tide climbing in the playoff picture.
After a hard-fought 31-20 victory over Texas A&M at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Week 8, Alabama moved up in The Athletic’s updated College Football Playoff projections for Week 9. The win, sealed by two fourth-quarter touchdown passes from Keelon Russell, gave the Tide a two-spot bump in Scott Dochterman’s bracket.
In Dochterman’s projection, Alabama lands at No. 7 and would draw No. 10 BYU in the first round. That setup would send the Crimson Tide into their first-ever home playoff game at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Alabama is 6-2 overall and 4-2 in the SEC, and currently sits at No. 10 in both the US LBM Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25. BYU, meanwhile, dropped six spots to No. 8 after a 39-31 double-overtime loss at UCF. That was the Cougars’ first defeat of the season, coming one week after their 28-24 win over Notre Dame in Provo.
A postseason meeting between Alabama and BYU would be a rare one. The programs have met only once before, with Alabama opening the 1998 season with a 38-31 win over the Cougars and LaVell Edwards at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The Athletic isn’t alone in including Alabama in the playoff field. USA TODAY Sports’ Erick Smith projects the Crimson Tide against Ole Miss in the first round at Vaught Hemingway Stadium in Oxford.
ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura has Alabama traveling to Bloomington for a matchup with Indiana in the No. 11 vs. No. 6 game.
Alabama’s next challenge comes Nov. 7 at LSU. The Tide will face the No.
13 Tigers, who are 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the SEC, at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m.
CT, and the game will air on ABC.
Alabama’s 2026 schedule, all times Central:
Sept. 5: vs. East Carolina Pirates (W, 48-10)
Sept. 12: at Kentucky Wildcats (W, 45-17)
Sept. 19: vs.
Florida State Seminoles (W, 50-36)
Sept. 26: vs.
South Carolina Gamecocks (W, 49-18)
Oct. 3: at Mississippi State Bulldogs (W, 56-23)
Oct. 10: vs. Georgia Bulldogs (L, 20-17)
Oct. 17: at Tennessee Volunteers (L, 26-10)
Oct. 24: vs.
Texas A&M Aggies (W, 31-20)
Nov. 7: at LSU Tigers, 2:30 p.m., ABC
Nov. 14: at Vanderbilt Commodores, TBA
Nov. 21: vs.
Chattanooga Mocs, 1 p.m., SEC Network+
Nov. 28: vs.
Auburn Tigers, TBA
Record: 6-2 overall, 4-2 SEC.
In Other News...
Former Alabama Assistant Pulls The SEC Into CFP Fairness Debate
JaMarcus Shephards comments added another layer to the ongoing College Football Playoff debate, with the former Alabama assistant now leading Oregon State and looking at the sport from a different vantage point. He raised concerns about whether a 24-team CFP will truly be accessible for programs outside the major conferences if automatic bids are tilted toward the biggest leagues, and he pointed to the NCAA Basketball Tournament as a better model for broad inclusion.
Shephard framed it as a fairness issue as much as a format issue, arguing that college athletics should account for more than just the SEC and Big Ten. For Alabama fans who watched him on the Tide sideline, the remarks were a reminder of how much the playoff discussion has grown beyond traditional power structures, and how much uncertainty still hangs over how smaller-conference teams will fit into the new setup. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Walks Into LSU With One Distraction Nick Saban Always Warned About
Lane Kiffin knows the drill by now when Alabama comes up on the schedule, and he framed the challenge in familiar Saban-era terms. He called the Crimson Tide a highly talented group that still carries the same sort of standard and edge associated with the best Alabama teams from years past, which is part of why opponents can never afford to get comfortable when the conversation around this program turns flattering.
For Alabama, the visit to LSU also brings a new wrinkle in Keelon Russells first trip to Tiger Stadium. It is the kind of setting that can crowd out everything else, and it is exactly the sort of backdrop where Nick Sabans old warning about rat poison tends to matter most, even if the noise is coming from outside the locker room. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Stars Keep Deciding NFL Games And Week 7 Proved It
Former Alabama players kept showing up in decisive NFL moments in Week 7, with Jahmyr Gibbs and Jameson Williams both helping the Detroit Lions get past the Green Bay Packers. Gibbs was central to the ground game, while Williams added another dangerous element to an offense that leaned on its former Tide standouts when the game got tight. It was the latest reminder that Alabamas NFL footprint is still shaping outcomes deep into the season.
Elsewhere, Quinnen Williams, Henry To'oTo'o and Brian Branch all made their presence felt for their own teams, adding to a week that was packed with Alabama production across the league. Branchs return was especially notable after his long injury absence, and his comeback came with the kind of impact play that can swing a game in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]