Where ESPN ranks Alabama in preseason college football power rankings

August 24, 2026 - 04:30

The Alabama Crimson Tide will start the 2026 college football season with a spot in the national rankings, though not at the very top of the pile. ESPN released its initial preseason power rankings on Monday, and the Tide landed at number 14 overall.

That placement puts Alabama behind several SEC rivals, including Georgia, Texas, and Ole Miss, all of whom are projected to be playoff contenders. It also places the Tide just outside the top ten, a position that reflects both the roster turnover in Tuscaloosa and the uncertainty surrounding the quarterback room.

Head coach Kalen DeBoer enters his second season with the program after a solid but unspectacular first year that ended with a 9-4 record and a loss in the ReliaQuest Bowl. The Tide return a strong defensive front and a talented group of receivers, but the offensive line remains a question mark after losing three starters to the NFL draft.

ESPN's analysts noted that Alabama has the talent to climb the rankings quickly, especially if the new starting quarterback settles in during the first three weeks of the season. The Tide open with a home game against Louisiana Tech before a tough road trip to Wisconsin in week two.

Fans in Tuscaloosa are used to seeing their team in the top five, but this year's preseason spot reflects a program in transition. Still, with DeBoer's track record of developing offenses, a top ten finish by November would not surprise anyone. The real test comes in October when Alabama hosts Georgia in what could be the defining game of the regular season.