Of course, it was August hot in Tuscaloosa on Friday. Was the sky as seen from the Alabama practice field somewhat bluer than normal for the dog days of summer? Southern sultry weather is not close to abating, but maybe blue skies are in Alabama's future.
One most welcome bit of good news came on Friday. Finally, after so many others had excluded Alabama from 2026-27 College Football Playoff predictions, the Crimson Tide was included in one. The good news came from a Playoff prediction by Will Hollon of TWIN.
Hollon projects Alabama to be an 8-seed. As the 8-seed, Alabama would host a home playoff game. If Hollon's projections prove correct, Alabama Crimson Tide fans will love the team Alabama will host in Bryant-Denny. It would be the 9-seed defending champion, Indiana Hoosiers. Beating 'Google Me Cignetti' could only be eclipsed by the Crimson Tide winning it all in late January.
Hollon has four SEC teams projected in the Playoff field. The Georgia Bulldogs are the 1-seed, Oklahoma is the 7-seed, and the Texas Longhorns are the 10-seed.
Georgia could benefit from a change that allows the top three seeds to be their "bowl path" in the Quarterfinal and Semifinal games. Georgia would choose the Peach Bowl, which would be close to a home game for the Bulldogs.
Alabama Crimson Tide Bold Prediction
Alabama had shoulder pads on during Friday's practice, but full contact was still on hold. The pads will be popping soon. My bold prediction is that the QB1 job is Austin Mack's to lose. Keelon Russell could still move past Mack based on the two camp scrimmages, but my guess is Mack will take the field first against ECU. I expect both Alabama quarterbacks will work with the Tide's first unit against the Pirates. That could also happen against Kentucky, in Lexington in Week 2.
Kalen DeBoer and Ryan Grubb are not going to run a rotating, two-QB system, but both guys are short on meaningful game snaps, and both must be ready to be QB1 at any time. My less bold prediction is that Keelon earns the QB1 role no later than the South Carolina game.
The only scant proof for my Mack as starter claim comes from early drills. Mack is taking snaps from Racin Delgatty and making handoffs to Daniel Hill. Russell is taking snaps from Casey Poe and handing off to AK Dear.
Add us as a preferred source on Google