Alabama, like every other team in the Transfer Portal era of college football, has undergone significant roster turnover since the end of the 2025 season.
40 players out. 41 players in. It'll be a new look Alabama team in 2026. And it's going to take results on the field for Kalen DeBoer and his team to get any respect whatsoever from the media.
A bevy of way-too-early Top 25 rankings for 2026 debuted last night and this morning in the aftermath of Indiana's National Championship win over Miami. And they feature a whole lot of disrespect for the Crimson Tide.
On3 had Alabama ranked No. 17 in the rankings they released before the National Championship Game. If that wasn't bad enough, ESPN one-upped On3. Mark Schlabach's Top 25 had Alabama all the way down at No. 21, below the likes of TCU, Washington, SMU, and Iowa, among others. Schlabach cited the loss of Ty Simpson and a bevy of losses in the Crimson Tide's front-seven as the impetus for the ranking.
CBS Sports' Brandon Marcello is a little higher on Alabama than those two, placing the Crimson Tide at No. 15.
That's matched by FanSided's Cody Williams, who also has Alabama at No. 15.
Yahoo's Nick Bromberg is the highest of any so far, ranking the Crimson Tide No. 12. It's jarring to see the consensus place Alabama outside the Top 10.
The media might be mostly down on Alabama, but the betting markets are a bit more bullish on DeBoer and company for next season. FanDuel's opening odds for the 2026 National Championship placed Alabama with the 11th-best odds to win it at +2200.
FanDuel gives Alabama the 11th-best National Championship odds in 2026
The betting markets are a better representation of the consensus on Alabama in 2026, though it's far too early for these determinations to be made when rosters aren't finalized.
Alabama opened itself up to a level of doubt nationally with blowout losses in both the SEC Championship Game and the Rose Bowl. And the media has been on its knees praying for the Tide's downfall for a number of years, and they believe they have enough evidence now to pounce.
It's going to be a lot of fun watching the 2026 Tide prove those people wrong. There are certainly some causes for concern that could keep Alabama from a second straight College Football Playoff berth, but if the offensive line comes together, and if Keelon Russell or Austin Mack can be a real difference-maker at QB, this team could do better than just making the playoff. They could be the last team standing in late January.