College GameDay had its full Week 1 picking panel on Saturday morning, and the group didn’t waste time diving into the biggest games on the slate. With LSU and Clemson set for a major showdown and other matchups like Auburn-Baylor, Cal-UCLA and Ole Miss-Louisville in the mix, Pat McAfee, Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, Rece Davis and Kirk Herbstreit were joined by Lainey Wilson to weigh in on the SEC race, the national title picture and several marquee openers.
The SEC champion picks were split in a way that set up an interesting season-long debate. Desmond Howard and Kirk Herbstreit both went with Texas, while Saban and McAfee backed Georgia. Wilson landed on LSU.
The national title predictions were even more spread out. Howard again chose Texas, Saban picked Miami, McAfee went with Indiana, Wilson selected LSU and Herbstreit named Notre Dame.
When it came to Auburn-Baylor in Atlanta, there was no disagreement at all. Every picker on the panel leaned Auburn: Howard, Saban, Wilson, McAfee and Herbstreit all took the Tigers.
The same unanimity showed up for No. 13 Alabama against East Carolina. Howard, Saban, McAfee, Wilson and Herbstreit all picked Alabama.
For No. 9 Ole Miss against No.
24 Louisville in Nashville, the panel was again locked in. Howard, Saban, McAfee, Wilson and Herbstreit all chose Ole Miss.
The only game that didn’t include a full Herbstreit pick was Clemson at No. 11 LSU, since he’s calling the game. The rest of the group still gave LSU the nod: Howard, Saban, Wilson and McAfee all picked the Tigers.
By the time the show wrapped, the message was clear: the panel sees Texas, Georgia, LSU, Auburn and Alabama as the teams to watch in Week 1’s biggest matchups. Now it’s up to the games to sort out who gets to feel smartest by the end of the weekend.
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Alabama opened the 2026 season with a win over East Carolina, giving Kalen DeBoer a clean start to his third year on the sideline, but the game still offered an early read on where this team stands. Sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell made his first career start and looked composed enough to settle things down, using his athleticism to help keep the offense moving, while Ryan Coleman-Williams provided a real vertical threat with more than 100 receiving yards.
Even so, the Tide left with a few reminders that September can be revealing in ways a final score does not fully show. The defense looked more ready for SEC-level football than the offense did, and the issues up front on the offensive line were hard to miss as Alabama tried to sort out protection and consistency. Coleman-Williams big day also came with some costly drops, leaving the passing game with both promise and proof that there is still cleanup work to do before the schedule stiffens. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama's Young Offense Has One More Thing To Prove In Second Half
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The next step is a familiar one for Alabamas offense: making life easier on Russell by creating more separation on the outside and turning good protection into cleaner, quicker answers downfield. The defense has been sturdy in the trenches, but it has also shown a willingness to give up explosive plays when communication slips, which is the sort of detail that can matter more against better competition than it has in a lopsided first half here. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Faces A Familiar Worry With Its Most Explosive Receiver
The opening game of the season brought an old concern back into view for Alabama, as Ryan Coleman-Williams had another rough day at the catch point. The explosive receiver has been central to what the Crimson Tide want to do offensively, and his ability to turn chances into chunk plays remains a key part of Alabamas hopes heading into the rest of the year.
Coleman-Williams did spend the offseason trying to clean up the issue, making changes aimed at improving his hands and sharpening his reliability. Even so, the early signs were a reminder that Alabamas passing attack may have to keep living with a little volatility from one of its most dangerous weapons, which is not exactly the kind of tradeoff a contender wants to carry for long. [Read more 🡒]