There are SEC football teams that many Alabama fans root against in all their games. The top two are probably old rivals Auburn and Tennessee. Losses by the Vols and the Tigers are not as satisfying as Alabama wins, but to many Tide fans, they are sweet nonetheless.
The dynamic of teams Alabama fans will root against may change in 2026. Crimson Tide fans don't hate Indiana. The Hoosiers deserved last season's national title. Alabama lost to a far better Indiana team in the CFB Playoff.
Even though Indiana dominated Alabama in Pasadena, Alabama fans could accept the loss graciously, but for one thing. The one thing is Curt Cignetti's mouth. His coaching record is truly impressive, but what the IU coach excels at more than anything else is being abrasive. Simply put, he doesn't know how to shut up.
In the Rose Bowl locker room, Cignetti reportedly said he sought a big win to elevate the Indiana program, while also damaging the Alabama program. The Indiana coach seems to have a burr under his saddle about Alabama. During his four years in Tuscaloosa, Alabama insiders rumored that Cignetti felt disrespected by Nick Saban after being passed over for promotion to Offensive Coordinator multiple times.
Recently, Cignetti indirectly insulted the entire SEC. At Big Ten Media Days, he said, "I mean, we don't run a hype machine here in the Midwest, we believe everything's earned, not given. When we fall short we say 'we fell short, we don't cry a river, whine and complain, alright? And that's why we're the best."
Given Indiana's 2026 schedule, 'earned, not given' is suspect. According to ESPN Analytics, the Hoosiers will play seven games with a 92.9% or higher probability of winning. Is that a measure of how good IU is, or how bad the seven opponents are?
- Indiana Game 1 vs. North Texas - The Mean Green were 12-2 last season. The two losses came against the only two ranked teams UNT played, including a 63-36 loss to USF.
- IU Game 2 vs. FCS Howard Bison - The Bison were 5-7 last season with bad losses to Sacred Heart, North Carolina Central, and South Carolina State.
- IU Game 3 vs. Western Kentucky - WKU was 9-4 last season with zero wins against ranked teams.
- IU Game 4 vs. Northwestern - The Wildcats were 7-6 last season.
- IU Game 5 at Rutgers - The Scarlet Knights were 5-7 last season.
- IU Game 10 vs. Minnesota - The Golden Gophers were 8-5 last season with no wins over ranked teams.
- IU Game 12 vs. Purdue - The Boilermakers were 2-10 last season.
Alabama football fans will follow some IU games closely
Balanced against the seven sure wins for IU, the Hoosiers play five real football teams. According to ESPN, IU will be favored against Nebraska, Michigan, USC, and Washington. The Hoosiers are expected to be an underdog against Ohio State. Many Alabama fans will be rooting for the Cornhuskers, Wolverines, Trojans, Huskies, and the Buckeyes. Why? Just because some teams need to shut Curt Cignetti up.
Note: Team records provided by Sports Reference
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