Way-too-early game predictions for Alabama's 2026 football schedule
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Once again, the Alabama Crimson Tide are set to play one of college football’s most challenging schedules in 2026.
Next season, the SEC as a whole is shaking up every team’s schedule just a bit, as a total of nine conference games will be played, as opposed to eight from a year ago. Another big change is the fact that all teams will also have only one bye week during the 2026 season, a shift from the two this past fall.
As for Alabama in particular, the Crimson Tide will host seven games inside Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium in 2026, four of which come against SEC opponents. Alabama will also face three nonconference opponents next fall, headlined by an anticipated rematch from the 2025 season.
Taking a bit of a deeper look as well, Alabama will play arguably as tough a four-game stretch as any team in college football this upcoming fall, which starts in Week 6, and will include four teams that could very easily be ranked in the Top 15 nationally.
Here are some way-too-early predictions for every game on Alabama’s 2026 football schedule.
Week 1: vs. East Carolina Pirates
- Prediction: Alabama 48, East Carolina 17
Alabama will open the 2026 season at home against an opponent which the Crimson Tide are not very familiar with, the East Carolina Pirates. In what will only be the second-ever meeting between the programs, Alabama should roll to a win at home.
Week 2: at Kentucky Wildcats
- Prediction: Alabama 30, Kentucky 20
Alabama’s SEC opener comes in Week 2 next season on the road against Kentucky. The Crimson Tide have owned this matchup in recent years with eight-straight wins dating back to 2003, as well as the last four in Lexington.
Week 3: vs. Florida State Seminoles
- Prediction: Alabama 33, Florida State 16
Florida State shocked the college football world last season with a season-opening upset of Alabama in Tallahassee, 31-17, and the Seminoles will now make the return trip of the home-and-home to Tuscaloosa in 2026. Alabama’s top nonconference matchup next year, this is certain to be a highly-anticipated matchup featuring a motivated Crimson Tide team looking to avenge last season’s loss.
Week 4: vs. South Carolina Gamecocks
- Prediction: Alabama 34, South Carolina 23
South Carolina is a team which has played Alabama tough each of the last two seasons, and with a number of key Gamecocks such as LaNorris Sellers, Nyck Harbor, and Dylan Stewart returning, 2026 could be more of the same. Alabama has won three-straight against the Gamecocks dating back to the 2019 season though, and could easily make it four next fall in Tuscaloosa.
Week 5: at Mississippi State Bulldogs
- Prediction: Alabama 40, Mississippi State 23
A matchup which Alabama has dominated historically, the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs are set to meet in 2026 for the first time since the 2023 season. Alabama has also won the last eight games between the two in Starkville, only one of which was decided by one possession.
Week 6: vs. Georgia Bulldogs
- Prediction: Alabama 28, Georgia 27
An opponent which Alabama split their two games with a year ago, the latter of which was in the SEC Championship Game, Georgia makes their return trip to Tuscaloosa next fall. This will certainly be a four-quarter battle between the two teams in Tuscaloosa, a place where Alabama has won the last two in the series, most recently in 2024.
Week 7: at Tennessee Volunteers
- Prediction: Alabama 26, Tennessee 24
“The Third Saturday in October” annual rivalry matchup shifts to Knoxville in 2026 where Alabama will be searching to snap a two-game losing streak to the Volunteers inside Neyland Stadium. Similar to their two most recent trips to Knoxville, this will certainly be a challenging game in front of what will be a tough stadium environment.
Week 8: vs. Texas A&M Aggies
- Prediction: Alabama 27, Texas A&M 24
One of the most challenging games on Alabama’s schedule could be this home showdown with Texas A&M. A series which Alabama has dominated since the Aggies joined the SEC, this will be Texas A&M’s first trip to Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium since 2022, and the Crimson Tide have also won the last five head-to-head in Tuscaloosa.
Week 10: at LSU Tigers
- Prediction: Alabama 23, LSU 26
This season’s matchup between Alabama and LSU will garner a significant amount of interest as always, but this fall might be even more anticipated due to the fact this will be Lane Kiffin’s first game against the Crimson Tide as head coach in Baton Rouge. Alabama has won the last three over LSU head-to-head, including a dominant 42-13 victory in Baton Rouge during the 2024 season.
Week 11: at Vanderbilt Commodores
- Prediction: Alabama 38, Vanderbilt 20
Alabama’s most recent trip to Vanderbilt was a result which shocked the college football world back in 2024, a 40-35 upset win for the Commodores over the Crimson Tide. The Crimson Tide will certainly come out motivated here looking to avoid a repeat of 2024, with Nashville a place where Alabama has owned Vanderbilt historically.
Week 12: vs. Chattanooga Mocs
- Prediction: Alabama 63, Chattanooga 6
Alabama will be a sizable favorite entering this Week 12 showdown with FCS foe Chattanooga. The Crimson Tide will likely cruise to a big win here.
Week 13: vs. Auburn Tigers
- Prediction: Alabama 36, Auburn 20
Alabama’s regular season concludes with the latest edition of “The Iron Bowl,” which shifts back to Tuscaloosa this upcoming fall. The Crimson Tide have won the last six consecutive meetings in one of college football’s top rivalries, as well as each of the past seven games played in Tuscaloosa.
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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama football way-too-early game predictions for 2026 season
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