Alabama Crimson Tide 2026-2027 Season Outlook: Schedule, Odds & Tickets

After finishing the 2024 season with a 9–4 record, expectations were high for the Crimson Tide entering 2025. Alabama aimed to move past a “transitional period” and return to the College Football Playoff as a legitimate national championship contender.

Despite a shocking season-opening loss to Florida State, Alabama responded by winning eight straight games before losing at home to Oklahoma. The Crimson Tide rebounded to clinch a berth in the SEC Championship Game but fell to Georgia 28–7. Alabama earned the No. 9 seed in the College Football Playoff and defeated Oklahoma 34–24 in Norman during the opening round. The Crimson Tide’s season ended in the Rose Bowl, where Indiana delivered a dominant 38–3 victory.

Alabama ultimately fell short of expectations because of an inconsistent running game and a late-season slump from quarterback Ty Simpson. Simpson played through multiple injuries and struggled with pocket presence, losing five fumbles in 2025.

Adrian Klemm was hired as Alabama’s offensive line coach after Chris Kapilovic was dismissed. Alabama’s offensive line entered the 2025 season as one of the nation’s top units, headlined by Kadyn Proctor, Parker Brailsford and Jaeden Roberts. However, the Crimson Tide averaged just 104.1 rushing yards per game, while the offensive line surrendered 32 sacks over 15 games. Klemm brings 18 years of coaching experience, including NFL stints with the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers. He also won three Super Bowls as an offensive lineman with the Patriots. Head coach Kalen DeBoer believed Klemm’s experience could help restore the physical identity Alabama has traditionally been known for up front.

After JaMarcus Shephard accepted the head coaching position at Oregon State, Derrick Nix was hired as Alabama’s new wide receivers coach. Nix spent the previous two seasons at Auburn as offensive coordinator and running backs coach. Auburn’s rushing attack ranked in the top half of the SEC in both rushing yards and rushing yards per game last season, while running back Jarquez Hunter earned First-Team All-SEC honors in 2024 after rushing for 1,201 yards. Nix also coached wide receivers at Ole Miss, where three receivers finished among the SEC’s top 12 in receiving yards in 2024. He helped develop Elijah Moore, who earned All-America honors in 2020 under Nix’s guidance. Richard Owens became Alabama’s tight ends coach after Bryan Ellis shifted to quarterbacks coach following Nick Sheridan’s departure for Michigan State.

Ten Crimson Tide players were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, marking the 15th consecutive year Alabama had at least seven players selected. Proctor headlined the class after being selected 12th overall by the Miami Dolphins. He did not commit a holding penalty during his final 18 starts at Alabama and earned Consensus All-American honors in 2025, along with the Jacobs Blocking Trophy. The Dolphins are expected to play Proctor at left guard, where his power could help create rushing lanes and generate movement at the line of scrimmage.

Simpson was selected 13th overall by the Los Angeles Rams, giving the franchise a potential long-term successor to Matthew Stafford. Simpson threw for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 64.5% of his passes last season.

After trading up with the Indianapolis Colts, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected wide receiver Germie Bernard in the second round, adding another receiving option alongside D.K. Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. Bernard caught 64 passes for 826 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025. Edge rusher LT Overton was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round, followed by Brailsford and linebacker Justin Jefferson in the fifth. The remaining selections were tight end Josh Cuevas (Baltimore Ravens), cornerback Domani Jackson (Green Bay Packers), defensive lineman Tim Keenan III (Los Angeles Rams) and running back Jam Miller (New England Patriots).

Among Alabama’s other key contributors in 2025, Miller led the rushing attack with 504 yards, while Daniel Hill led the team with six rushing touchdowns. Ryan Coleman-Williams paced the receiving corps with 689 yards and four touchdowns, while Isaiah Horton added 511 yards and a team-high eight receiving touchdowns. Horton transferred to Texas A&M during the offseason. Yhonzae Pierre led the pass rush with eight sacks, while Deontae Lawson recorded a team-high 80 tackles. Bray Hubbard anchored the secondary with four interceptions and eight pass deflections.

247Sports ranked Alabama’s 2026 transfer class 18th in the nation after the Crimson Tide signed five four-star and 12 three-star prospects. USC transfer Devan Thompkins joined Alabama to fill a major hole along the defensive line after recording three sacks, one forced fumble and 31 tackles in 2025. Alongside Oregon transfer Terrance Green, Thompkins is expected to play a significant role on a revamped defensive front after Keon Keeley and James Smith entered the transfer portal. Noah Rogers transferred in to complement Coleman-Williams and Lotzeir Brooks in the receiving corps after catching 68 passes for 919 yards and three touchdowns over two seasons at NC State. The Crimson Tide also addressed their offensive line needs by adding Nick Brooks and Ty Haywood through the transfer portal.

ESPN’s Football Power Index ranked Alabama’s 2026 schedule as the 15th-toughest in the country, highlighted by matchups against Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M and LSU. The Crimson Tide will face Georgia, Tennessee and Texas A&M in consecutive weeks in mid-October, creating a difficult stretch that could have major implications for their College Football Playoff hopes.

Alabama will host Georgia in the first of those matchups, giving the Crimson Tide an opportunity to solidify themselves as an SEC contender and continue their home success against Kirby Smart. Smart is 0–2 all-time against Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Alabama will then travel to Neyland Stadium for its annual rivalry matchup against Tennessee, giving the Crimson Tide a chance to snap a two-game losing streak in Knoxville. The matchup could be especially challenging because it comes one week after the Georgia game, forcing Alabama to navigate another physical SEC opponent in one of the country’s most hostile environments.

Despite significant roster turnover, Alabama enters the 2026 season ranked No. 11 in the AFCA Coaches Poll. Questions remain about the reworked offensive line and quarterback room. Following Simpson’s departure, Austin Mack and Keelon Russell are competing for the starting job, with DeBoer expected to name a starter before the season opener on Sept. 5. The secondary is viewed as a strength, highlighted by Hubbard and Zabien Brown, while Alabama added significant size along the defensive line after ranking 14th in the SEC in average defensive line weight last season.

Many analysts project Alabama to finish with nine or 10 wins, which could leave the Crimson Tide on the College Football Playoff bubble given the difficulty of their schedule. ESPN’s Football Power Index gives Alabama a 41.3% chance to make the 12-team field in 2026. FanDuel Sportsbook lists Alabama at +340 to win the SEC Championship and +2500 to win the national championship, reflecting both the program’s upside and the uncertainty surrounding its reworked offense.

Alabama Crimson Tide 2026-2027 Schedule & Tickets:

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Article by Christian Bongiorno