Spring practice has wrapped up in Tuscaloosa, but the early buzz from A-Day, where quarterback Keelon Russell and freshman receiver Cederian Morgan shined, hasn't translated into preseason love from the pundits. In ESPN's notoriously premature 2026 top-25 rankings, the Alabama Crimson Tide finds itself in a surprisingly low position, outside the top 15.

The rationale from analysts points to areas needing improvement under Coach Kalen DeBoer. Despite a respectable 20-8 record over his first two seasons, the Tide's 125th-ranked rushing offense last season is a glaring concern. With significant turnover in the defensive front seven and the departure of quarterback Ty Simpson to the NFL, questions about physicality and discipline linger.

However, the ranking raises eyebrows when you look at some of the programs slotted ahead of Bama. Teams like LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, and BYU all face their own substantial rebuilds or quarterback uncertainties. This is a Crimson Tide squad that finished in the top eight last season and returns considerable talent, setting the stage for a classic "prove them wrong" campaign in 2026.

While the offensive line rebuild under new coach Adrian Klemm and the quarterback battle between Keelon Russell and Austin Mack are legitimate storylines, placing Alabama this low seems to discount the program's perennial reloading capability. For a team with a championship standard, being ranked this early is just fuel for the fire as they prepare to silence the doubters come fall.