Joel Klatt shares reasons for skepticism about Alabama entering 2026
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Fox analyst Joel Klatt updated his post-spring top 25 ranking of the best teams in the country on Monday.
Alabama, one of the preseason favorites in the SEC, was surprisingly left out of Klatt’s top 15. The Crimson Tide checked in at No. 16 on Klatt’s list, behind 6 other SEC programs.
Klatt pointed to Alabama‘s uncertainty at the quarterback position as to why the Crimson Tide aren’t ranked higher. Austin Mack and Keelon Russell are competing for the starting job this offseason, but neither has significant on-field experience at the collegiate level.
“DeBoer is not going to name a starter until the fall. Whoever it is has zero career starts in college,” Klatt said. “I just don’t like that in this day and age. All these teams that have these quarterback battles, it’s just not like it used to be. Because as we see, in big games, at the top of conferences and certainly in the College Football Playoff, it matters how experienced your quarterback is.”
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Klatt also said receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams will need get back to the form he showed as a freshman. Alabama will also be hoping to take big strides in the running game after finishing last season 126th in the nation in yards per carry.
Despite the significant question marks, Alabama is among the favorites on Kalshi to get back to the CFP in 2026:
Alabama will open the 2026 season with East Carolina on Sept. 5.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
