Nick Saban isn’t exactly losing sleep over Alabama’s place in the SEC preseason media poll.
After the Crimson Tide landed all the way down at sixth in the league’s projected order for 2026, Saban said the lower-than-usual expectation could actually work in Alabama’s favor. At his annual Nick’s Kids Foundation luncheon, he made it clear he’s seen this movie before.
"I always hated it when we got picked high, and I think sometimes when we didn't, it was a motivating factor for the players," Saban said.
"Hopefully, we can sneak up on some people this year and fly under the radar a little bit and surprise some people and not be the target like we've been in the past. That might be beneficial to the team, having more success. I'm certainly hopeful that that's what happens."
That’s a very different conversation from the one Alabama lived through for years under Saban, when the Crimson Tide was practically a permanent fixture at the top of the SEC preseason media poll. In the 14 seasons after the program’s first national championship with Saban and before his retirement, Alabama was picked to win the league 11 times. The three times it wasn’t the favorite, it still came in second.
Kalen DeBoer’s first two years haven’t carried that same kind of certainty. Alabama was picked third in the SEC both times, trailing Georgia and Texas. This year’s sixth-place prediction is a much rougher read on the Tide, and it comes after what the source described as an anticlimactic finish to the 2025 season, which has left an uneasy feeling around the program heading into this year.
The biggest reason for that caution is the offense. Alabama is still sorting out its quarterback battle, and it also has to replace two productive wide receivers. The Tide added a five-star running back to help the ground game, but the line in front of him lost most of its best pieces from an offensive front that was already considered deficient.
The defense, on the other hand, looks like the more trusted part of the roster. Alabama’s front seven picked up several quality additions through the portal and brings back key pieces, while the secondary is among the most veteran-heavy in the SEC this season.
At the top of the poll, nothing changed. Georgia checked in at No. 1 and Texas followed at No.
- The Bulldogs are bringing back 14 starters from their SEC championship run in 2025, while the Longhorns used the transfer portal to build what was described as one of college football’s most complete rosters.
The teams directly ahead of Alabama also include Ole Miss, Texas A&M and LSU. Ole Miss kept a lot of its core from a College Football Playoff run, and LSU used the portal to remake itself into an instant College Football Playoff contender.
Texas A&M may be the most vulnerable of the group ahead of Alabama. The Aggies return several important defensive pieces and much of their offensive skill production from last season, but their new offensive line additions will need to come together if they’re going to repeat a College Football Playoff appearance.
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