Alabama’s bye week didn’t just give the Crimson Tide a breather - it also came with a small bump in the US LBM Coaches Poll.
After sitting out Week 9, Alabama moved up one spot to No. 9 in Sunday’s Week 10 rankings. The Crimson Tide are now tucked in just behind BYU and just ahead of Ohio State, which took one of the biggest hits in the poll after a rough Saturday.
That shakeup started out west, where Southern California knocked off then-No. 2 Ohio State, 30-18. The Buckeyes dropped to 6-2 and now enter the final month of the regular season with College Football Playoff uncertainty hanging over them, especially with starting quarterback Julian Sayin, a former Alabama commitment, sidelined by injury.
The USC win was the biggest climb in the poll, as the Trojans jumped eight spots. Ohio State and SMU were the week’s biggest fallers, each sliding eight spots after losses. SMU’s drop came after a last-second defeat at Syracuse.
Alabama remains the third-highest ranked SEC team in the Coaches Poll, sitting behind Georgia and Kentucky. Georgia surged to No. 2 after routing Florida 27-8, while Kentucky stayed put after an idle week.
The top 10 also saw Indiana survive another tight one, this time needing overtime for the second straight week to beat Minnesota 23-16 in Bloomington. Notre Dame shook off a first-half scare from Navy and pulled away with a 21-0 second half ahead of its Week 10 showdown with No. 1 Miami.
Miami itself had to sweat before escaping North Carolina, 38-35, after the Tar Heels tried three onside kicks in Chapel Hill. BYU also survived, holding off Arizona State after the game was tied at 17 going into the fourth quarter. The Cougars now head into their “Holy War” matchup with Utah, which handled Cincinnati 49-25 at Nippert Stadium.
Alabama’s next test is a big one of its own. The Crimson Tide head to LSU in a top-15 matchup in Week 10.
Here’s the top 25 in the new US LBM Coaches Poll heading into Week 10.
Schools Dropped Out
No. 20 Florida
Others Receiving Votes
South Carolina 91; Florida 81; UTSA 76; Duke 76; Virginia Tech 53; Oregon 41; Minnesota 10; Oklahoma State 9; Liberty 6; North Texas 4; Wisconsin 3; Memphis 2; North Dakota State 1; Nebraska 1; Cincinnati 1
Alabama (6-2, 4-2 SEC) will face LSU (6-2, 3-2) at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge on Nov. 7.
Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT, and the game will air on ABC.
Alabama’s 2026 schedule
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, TBA
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...
Alabama Just Got An Early Reality Check For LSU Showdown
The first betting line for Alabamas Week 10 trip to LSU already says plenty about how close this rivalry matchup is expected to be. Both teams are ranked, both are sitting on similar records, and both come in off bye weeks, which only adds to the sense that this one could carry real weight in the College Football Playoff race and the SEC title picture.
Even with Alabama holding a 58-27-5 edge in the series and a three-game winning streak in the rivalry, the opening number has LSU favored by 4 points. For a game this early on the 2026 schedule, it is a reminder that the Tigers are expected to bring plenty of punch at home, and that Alabama may already have a little extra motivation as the matchup starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Derrick Henry Keeps Building An All Time Case Alabama Fans Love
Derrick Henry kept adding to a rsum that already sits in rare company, even in a Ravens loss to the Bills. The former Alabama star scored again Sunday, and with it came another benchmark for a career that keeps climbing the all-time lists, the kind of production Crimson Tide fans have long watched with pride as he continues to deliver on Sundays.
The touchdown was Henrys 40th rushing score with two different franchises, putting him alongside Marcus Allen and Marshall Faulk in that class, according to NFL and ESPN Insights. It also gave him 136 career touchdowns, tying Faulk for seventh-most in NFL history, another reminder that Henrys place in the record book is no longer a future conversation but an ongoing one. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Just Added More Pressure To A Huge Stretch For Nate Oats
Zion Greens commitment gives Alabama basketball another headline in the 2027 class, and it arrives at a time when Nate Oats could use every bit of momentum he can get. The five-star power forward joins Chase Lumpkin in that group, a sign that Alabama is still landing premium talent while the program continues to sit near the top of the national conversation. The Crimson Tide also climbed one spot to No. 9 in the AP Poll, keeping the profile high as the season moves deeper into a critical stretch.
The timing matters because the pressure around Alabama is only growing. The Tide opened as a 3.5-point underdog against LSU before the line swung heavily in the Tigers favor, and there are always ripple effects around recruiting when coaching changes hit elsewhere, including Florida State moving on from Mike Norvell. Even with Alabama soccers regular-season finale loss to Mississippi State, the broader athletic department remains in the spotlight, and Oats now has another prized recruit attached to a stretch where every result seems to carry extra weight. [Read more 🡒]