If Josh Pate is correct, Alabama Football will battle against five of the SEC's top 10 football head coaches in the 2026 regular season.
Alabama Crimson Tide fans can enjoy Pate's rankings that have Kalen DeBoer's as the SEC's No. 2 head coach. At the top Pate has Kirby Smart. The next three below DeBoer are Steve Sarkisian, Mike Elko, and Lane Kiffin. The other two top 10 SEC head coaches Alabama will face in the regular season are Clark Lea at No. 6 and Josh Heupel at No. 9.
Pate explained that the rankings are not predictive, and if they were, they might be quite different. He stated that recency was used as a factor. His main criteria were on-field performance (results) and talent acquisition. Other wildcard, subjective takes were also considered.
A chuckle from Alabama football fans
Alabama Football fans will enjoy at least some of the six SEC head coaches not making Pate's Top 10. Arkansas' Ryan Silverfield, with six seasons as a head coach; South Carolina's Shane Beamer, with five, and new Auburn Tiger head man, Alex Golesh, with three seasons, could have qualified for Pate's Top 10. Many Alabama Crimson Tide fans will smirk at Golesh's omission.
With only a two-season resume, Mississippi State's Jeff Lebby not being in the Top 10 makes sense. Having a head coaching career of just three games, Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding could not be included. Neither could Kentucky's new head coach Will Stein, who will head coach his first college game this fall.
Pate commented that Kalen DeBoer's record against top coaches could not be ignored. DeBoer's record is impressive. He is 2-1 against Kirby Smart, 2-0 against Steve Sarkisian, and 3-0 against Dan Lanning. DeBoer is also 1-0 against Brian Kelly, but Kelly, as a top coach, has become debatable.
Pate did not punish DeBoer much for what he termed Alabama "falling off slightly" from what Alabama was at the end of Nick Saban's tenure.
Pate named no honorable mentions, and to the six SEC head coaches not making the cut, Pate said, "Prove me wrong."
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