Where Alabama football sits in initial ESPN SP+ rankings entering 2026
ESPN takes an early look at the 2026 college football season with the debut of its initial SP+ rankings. Here's where Alabama and Kalen DeBoer land.
ESPN has factored in all the data, primarily returning production on both sides of the ball, as well as last year's records and recent recruiting classes, and unveiled its initial 2026 college football SP+ rankings . Alabama , which finished 10-2 in the regular season and made the SEC Championship Game and 12-team College Football Playoff, landed just outside the top 10 at No. 11 in Bill Connelly's early 2026 projections.
The Crimson Tide are ranked one spot below LSU and one spot ahead of Oklahoma entering Kalen DeBoer's third season. On the recruiting trail, Alabama 's incoming 2026 class was ranked No. 2 nationally by 247Sports after National Signing Day.
ESPN had the Crimson Tide's class at No. 5. While Alabama will be breaking in a new quarterback for the second straight year with Ty Simpson a off to the NFL Draft , receivers Ryan Coleman-Williams and Lotzeir Brooks and defensive backs Bray Hubbard, Keon Sabb and Zabien Brown are all highly valuable returning starters in 2026.
ESPN analyst projects Alabama trio in latest 2026 NFL mock draft šø Brett Davis, Brett Davis-Imagn Images https://t. co/6bwfpEStiv pic. twitter.
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