Power ranking the 2026 SEC football teams in February is iffy at best. Not until after spring camps will there be any clarity about roster competition and the potential impact of transfers and freshmen. That does not prevent Alabama Crimson Tide fans from being interested in any and all opinions of the 2026 SEC pecking order.
CBS Sports recently published a too-early SEC Power Ranking. The author is well-known to many Alabama football fans. Brandon Marcello was an Auburn homer for years, but having moved to national coverage of all college football, Marcello's blinders have been discarded.
True to 'too early' form about the Alabama Crimson Tide, Marcello has Alabama at No. 6, behind Texas (No. 1), Georgia (No. 2), Texas A&M (No. 3), Oklahoma (No. 4), and LSU (No. 5). There are sound reasons for optimism about the five programs above Alabama.
For the Alabama Crimson Tide, there is doubt, fueled by more answers than questions. Many Alabama fans have deeper knowledge about the Crimson Tide than Marcello. After all, every expert has a finite bandwidth that limits deep knowledge of every team they assess. But Marcello could provide multiple reasons for his low rating of the Crimson Tide.
Oddly (and wrongly), the primary reason Marcello cited was "I have a weird feeling about the buy-in in Tuscaloosa." An 'un-weird' feeling for Alabama fans is that Marcello does not know what he is talking about. During the last several weeks, there have numerous stories extolling the team chemistry Kalen DeBoer has built and continues to build. Much of the foundation of those bonds comes from players staying in Tuscaloosa or joining Alabama despite being offered more money by other programs.
Two reasons for Alabama Crimson Tide Fans to love Marcello's rankings
An error in Marcello's perspective about Alabama can be somewhat forgiven for two reasons. He has the Crimson Tide's deepest rivals power-ranked lower than Alabama. The Tennessee Vols are at No. 11, and the Auburn Tigers are at No. 12.
Marcello also projects a nose-dive for Vanderbilt in the Commodores' "post-Diego Pavia world." He has Clark Lea's Vanderbilt Commodores power-ranked at No. 14.