Alabama enters the 2026 season with plenty of new faces, but the expectations haven’t gone anywhere.
Kalen DeBoer’s first year ended with the Crimson Tide reaching the national quarterfinals, and now Alabama has to navigate major roster turnover while trying to stay in that same lane. The offense will look different, though there is one familiar spark still in place: receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams, known as Ryan Williams his first two years, returns as what could be one of the nation’s most explosive pass-catchers. He stands as Alabama’s only returning offensive starter.
The quarterback job also belongs to a new name. Keelon Russell won the starting role in fall camp and is set to take over for Ty Simpson.
On defense, Alabama brings back a proven anchor in linebacker Yhonzae Pierre. He led the Crimson Tide last season with 14.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks and nine quarterback pressures. Cornerback Zabien Brown is back too, and he made his presence felt a year ago with two interception returns for touchdowns.
Here’s the full Alabama Crimson Tide football printable 2026 schedule, including dates, times and TV information:
Sept. 5 - East Carolina - Noon - ABC
Sept. 12 - at Kentucky - 3:30 p.m. - ABC/Disney
Sept.
19 - Florida State - 3:30 p.m. - ABC
Sept.
26 - South Carolina - TBA - TBA
Oct. 3 - at Mississippi State - TBA - TBA
Oct. 10 - Georgia - TBA - TBA
Oct. 17 - at Tennessee - TBA - TBA
Oct.
24 - Texas A&M - TBA - TBA
Nov. 7 - at LSU - TBA - TBA
Nov. 14 - at Vanderbilt - TBA - TBA
Nov.
21 - Tennessee-Chattanooga - TBA - TBA
Nov.
28 - Auburn - 7:30 p.m. - ABC
Dec.
5 - SEC Championship - 4 p.m. - ABC
In Other News...
LSUs SEC Fight Could Shift The Balance Alabama Lives With
The SECs legal fight with LSU has taken another turn, and it is the kind of conference business that rarely stays contained to one school. The league has amended its federal court lawsuit and is preparing to meet about possible punishment tied to LSUs institutional control and the football program, a dispute that puts the conferences authority and its willingness to enforce it back in the spotlight.
For Alabama, any league-wide shakeup involving LSU matters because it can alter the balance of a conference the Crimson Tide lives in every week. The SEC has also alleged that LSUs executive officers do not have meaningful control over coach Lane Kiffin and the football program, and the most extreme option on the table would require a two-thirds vote to terminate LSUs membership. Whether it gets anywhere near that point is still the unresolved part, but the fact it is being discussed says plenty about how serious the conflict has become. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Faces An Early SEC Test It Can't Afford To Sleepwalk Through
Alabama got through its Week 1 tune-up against East Carolina, but the rhythm of the season changes fast now that SEC play arrives. The Crimson Tides first conference test comes against Kentucky, a team that brings a different look than the usual early-September opponent and one that has already spent the offseason reshaping itself on the sideline and at quarterback.
Will Stein is in place as the Wildcats new head coach, and Kentucky also added a transfer quarterback who was impressive in the opener. That combination is enough to make this more than a routine league game for Alabama, which cannot afford to treat it like a soft landing after the nonconference schedule. The Tide will need to be sharp from the start if they want to avoid turning an early SEC roadblock into something bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Just Sent A Confusing Early Message In The Polls
The first full college football polls of the regular season offered an early read on where the sports powers stand, and Alabama got a mixed one. Ohio State stayed No. 1 in both the AP and Coaches polls, LSU surged to No. 8 after a convincing win over Clemson, and Michigans split showing in the rankings underscored how quickly the first month can reshape a rsum.
For Alabama, the picture was less clean. The Crimson Tide climbed to No. 12 in the AP poll after handling East Carolina, but the Coaches poll told a different story by placing them one spot lower. It is still early, of course, but the discrepancy is the kind of small signal that tends to matter in September, especially for a program used to being evaluated with very little margin for error. [Read more 🡒]