Alabama

Jumbo Package: Alabama ranked 5th in first Coach’s Poll

Published

4 months ago

August 6, 2024

Jumbo Package: Alabama ranked 5th in first Coach’s Poll

In one of two major college football polls, Alabama football will begin its 2024 season with its lowest ranking since 2009.
The Tide was picked No. 5 in Monday’s preseason AFCA coaches poll, compiled by the USA Today. That ends a streak of 14 seasons (2010-23) in which Alabama began in the top three of the coaches poll.
The last time Alabama football was ranked outside of the top three of a preseason coaches poll was 2009, when it began No. 5 after a 12-2 season in 2008. The Tide was unranked in the preseason coaches poll in 2008.

The Tide coming in at number 5, huh? I get it, there’s no Saban and all that…. But still, the disrespect is strong and will be noted.

Really, it’s the undying love for Oregon that’s got me a little confused on all of these preseason polls. The Ducks just lost their 6th-year senior QB to the first round of the NFL Draft and are now going to have to play in a more competitive conference than they were before.

And if you’re interested in how these rankings would line up in the new Playoff format:

Alabama was ranked fifth overall in Monday’s poll, the first time since before the 2009 season that the Crimson Tide is not ranked in the top three of the preseason Coaches Poll, and the team was not one of the three to get a first-place vote. It is the third-highest ranked team from the SEC, meaning if these rankings were identical to the ones that will eventually take shape on Selection Day, Alabama would not get a bye.
The teams seeded fifth through 12th will play against one another in the postseason extravaganza’s opening round. Alabama would be seeded seventh, hosting 10th-ranked Michigan at Bryant-Dennt Stadium in a Rose Bowl rematch. Texas, new to the SEC as well, would get the No. 6 ranking as it finished one spot ahead of the Crimson Tide in the poll.

The Tide would be playing Michigan as a wildcard match, and Alabama would not have a bye week.

DeBoer enters his debut season following the retirement of longtime coach Nick Saban in January. DeBoer brings nearly an entirely new coaching staff to Tuscaloosa, led by offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan and defensive coordinator Kane Wommack.
To keep talking season going as practice gets going in Tuscaloosa, The Tuscaloosa News asks you how many games do you think Alabama football will win this season?
Voting is now open and will remain open until noon CT on Sunday.
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If you think that #5 rating is too low… Now’s your chance to vote with the Tuscaloosa News on how well you think Alabama will do this year.

The Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers may just have two superstars on their hands with two in-state highly touted freshmen wide receivers.
For Auburn, it comes via Cam Coleman of Central Phenix City, who last season helped the Red Devils end the Thompson run of dominance in Class 7A with an MVP performance in the state championship game.
Coleman was a top-five recruit in the entire nation and has received nothing but great reports from Tigers staff throughout the spring. The official Auburn social media page shared an image of him coming down with a sensational one-handed grab at practice over the weekend.
Not to be outdone, Alabama freshman Ryan Williams out of Saraland, who skipped his senior year and reclassified after becoming the first player to ever win back-to-back Mr. Football awards, made a similar catch in practice that circled social media over the weekend as well.

There’s been something of a Twitter feud making its rounds over the last month or so with Auburn fans relentlessly hyping up Cam Coleman and going out of their way to trash talk about Ryan Williams.

I suppose it’s only natural since both would have been the #1 WR in most any given recruiting class, but Williams reclassifying to 2024 group at the last minute makes the rankings interesting and a bit ambiguous. Add in that they’re from the same state and went to rival schools, and we could have an even more heated version of the Julio Jones – AJ Green rivalry 15 years ago.

Finally, we have updated heights and weights on the official roster.

Go check out my other article on this specifically if you want the details, but the biggest changes are Tyler Booker dropping all the way down to 325, Parker Brailsford adding 15 pounds, and Keon Keeley officially moving to the line of scrimmage, bulking up over 30 pounds to 277.

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Alabama

What channel is Alabama basketball vs North Dakota today? TV, streaming info, start time

Published

5 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Press Room

What channel is Alabama basketball vs North Dakota today? TV, streaming info, start time

Alabama basketball is back on the road for the last away game of its non-conference slate on Wednesday.

The No. 7 Crimson Tide will face North Dakota, marking a homecoming game for North Dakota State transfer and Devils Lake native Grant Nelson.

North Dakota is 4-8 and enters the matchup on a three-game losing streak, including back-to-back defeats from UTSA.

Here’s how to catch Alabama (8-2) as it looks to pick up a win in its first-ever meeting with the Fighting Hawks.

What channel is Alabama basketball vs North Dakota today?

TV channel: CBS Sports Network

Streaming: Fubo, Hulu, YouTube TV

Alabama vs. North Dakota will be aired on CBS Sports Network, which can be streamed via Fubo, Hulu and YouTube TV. The event can also be streamed online through the CBS Sports website upon authenticating with select providers.

Alabama basketball vs North Dakota start time

Date: Wednesday, Dec. 18

Start time: 8 p.m. CT

Alabama and North Dakota will face off at Betty Engelstad Sioux Center in Grand Forks, N.D., with a tipoff set for 8 p.m. CT.

Alabama basketball schedule for 2024-25 season

Record: (8-2)

Nov. 4: UNC-Asheville (W 110-54)
Nov. 8: Arkansas State (W 88-79)
Nov. 11: McNeese State (W 72-64)
Nov. 15: at Purdue (L 87-78)
Nov. 20: Illinois − C.M. Newton Classic (W 100-87)
Nov. 26: Houston − Players Era Festival (W 85-80)
Nov. 27: Rutgers − Players Era Festival (W 95-90)
Nov. 30: Oregon − Players Era Festival final (L 83-81)
Dec. 4: at UNC − SEC/ACC Challenge (W 94-79)
Dec. 14: Creighton (W 83-75)
Dec. 18: at North Dakota, 8 p.m. CT
Dec. 22: Kent State, 12 p.m. CT
Dec. 29: South Dakota State, 2 p.m. CT
Jan. 4: Oklahoma, 5 p.m. CT
Jan. 8: at South Carolina, 6 p.m. CT
Jan. 11: at Texas A&M, 7 p.m. CT
Jan. 14: Ole Miss, 6 p.m. CT
Jan. 19: at Kentucky, 11 a.m. CT
Jan. 21: Vanderbilt, 6 p.m. CT
Jan. 25: LSU, 7:30 p.m. CT
Jan. 29: at Mississippi State, 8 p.m. CT
Feb. 1: Georgia, 11 a,m./1 or 3 p.m. CT
Feb. 8: at Arkansas, 7 p.m. CT
Feb. 11: at Texas, 8 p.m. CT
Feb. 15: Auburn, 3 p.m. CT
Feb. 19: at Missouri, 8 p.m. CT
Feb. 22: Kentucky, 5 p.m. CT
Feb. 25: Mississippi State, 8 p.m. CT
Mar. 1: at Tennessee, 12 or 3 p.m. CT
Mar. 5: Florida, 6 p.m. CT
Mar. 8: at Auburn, 1 p.m. CT

Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for the Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.

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Alabama

Alabama football lands first transfer portal addition: Former Florida DL Kelby Collins

Published

13 hours ago

December 17, 2024

Press Room

Alabama football lands first transfer portal addition: Former Florida DL Kelby Collins

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama landed its first transfer portal commitment of the winter window on Tuesday evening when Florida defensive lineman Kelby Collins announced his commitment to the Tide. Collins, a former four-star recruit from Gardendale, Ala., has two years of eligibility remaining and will be counted on as an instant impact player for Alabama’s 2025 defense.

In two years at Florida, Collins recorded 29 tackles, three sacks and 15 quarterback hurries in 18 career games.

Roll tide😁
— Kelby Collins (@kelby_collins) December 18, 2024

What does this mean for Alabama?

Collins, 6 feet 4 and 278 pounds, was a budding star at Florida in 2023 with 23 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, four quarterback hurries, a pass breakup and a forced fumble en route to being named to the All-SEC freshman team and The Athletic’s freshman All-America team. He wasn’t as productive in 2024 with just six tackles in six games, but the potential is there.

Collins’ path is similar to current defensive lineman LT Overton — a highly ranked prospect who committed to another program over Alabama out of high school but landed with the Tide the second time around. It’s indicative of the new college football landscape and the importance of relationships, where losing a recruiting battle in high school doesn’t completely close the door with the portal.

Most of Alabama’s staff wasn’t with the program in 2023, but position coach Freddie Roach remains and was a key component in getting Collins to Tuscaloosa. The Overton addition was beneficial for Alabama this season, and there is hope that Collins can produce something similar in 2025.

Roll tide😁
— Kelby Collins (@kelby_collins) December 18, 2024

Collins’ commitment fills a glaring need for the 2025 defense on the defensive line. The Tide could lose their entire starting unit with Overton, Tim Keenan, Tim Smith and Jah-Marien Latham all possibly moving on to the NFL after this season. Collins’ physical profile fits the bandit position (where Overton and Latham play) as the defensive end with pass-rush responsibilities.

Collins’ production is encouraging, and he will join rising star James Smith on a defensive line that will look much different next season.

With Collins’ commitment and Jaylen Mbakwe and Danny Lewis Jr. returning to the team, Alabama is at 85 total scholarships entering 2025. That number includes current Alabama players who have yet to make NFL decisions.

Collins likely will not be the final portal addition. Alabama is looking to add at several positions, including at wide receiver, on the offensive and defensive lines and at linebacker.

(Photo: Matt Pendleton / USA Today)

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Alabama

Alabama freshman cornerback Jaylen Mbakwe plans to enter the transfer portal

Published

20 hours ago

December 17, 2024

Press Room

Alabama freshman cornerback Jaylen Mbakwe plans to enter the transfer portal, he told On3 Sports Monday night and confirmed in a social media post.

A Pinson, Alabama native, Mbakwe was a five-star recruit that was rated as the No. 12 overall prospect and No. 2 cornerback nationally in the 2024 class, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.

Mbakwe had committed to and signed with the Crimson Tide under Nick Saban, but stuck with the program after Saban’s retirement and Kalen DeBoer’s hiring last January.

In his first and potentially only season with Alabama, Mbakwe played 11 of the team’s 12 regular-season games and finished with 15 tackles, one tackle for loss, two pass break-ups and an interception.

In a post on Instagram, Mbakwe described his move as a “business decision.”

“This was not an easy decision, but I believe it’s the best step for my personal and professional development and the future I’m working towards for myself and my family,” he wrote.

Mbakwe no longer appears on the 2024 Alabama football roster and a link to his profile page on the team’s official website now comes up with an error message.

Given his lofty standing coming out of Clay-Chalkville High School in Pinson, Mbakwe’s departure drew significant interest and curiosity from those around college football, but particularly those in Alabama, who were trying to parse social media posts from other Crimson Tide football players to decipher any possible meaning from them.

Alabama star freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams posted an Instagram story Monday night of a picture of him and Mbakwe, along with the caption “Bingo we got action,” with elephant and bullseye emojis. Williams and Mbakwe are close friends and co-hosts of a podcast, “The New Wave.”

Though the Crimson Tide are set to bring back Domani Jackson and fellow five-star freshman Zabien Brown, Mbakwe becomes the third Alabama defensive back to hit the transfer portal this offseason, joining cornerback Jahlil Hurley and safety DeVonta Smith.

The exits come after an underwhelming first season in Tuscaloosa for DeBoer, the former Washington coach, whose team went 9-3 and wasn’t selected for the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff.

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