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.
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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.
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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.
Alabama football is hosting an impressive group of 2027 recruits throughout this weekend. This is the first of several weekends the Tide will host top recruits for official visits.
So, will Alabama add a commit this weekend? This is very much possible, and there are a few prospects Touchdown Alabama has our eyes on.
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Justin Smith is the Managing Editor and Lead Writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine with over 10 years of writing experience & expertise. Smith has consistently delivered high quality, extensively researched information on the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide football team that fans can trust. Smith is official credentialed media with the University of Alabama under Touchdown Alabama Magazine. He is also the Director of Recruiting for Touchdown Enterprises, specializing in scouting and analyzing high school recruits around the nation, specifically focusing on recruits within the state of Alabama.
OKLAHOMA CITY–– UCLA’s home run power made headlines all season, but it was Alabama’s super sluggers who stepped up in the biggest moments on the biggest stage during the Crimson Tide’s opening game of the Women’s College World Series.
No. 1 Alabama was trailing by two runs heading into the fifth inning of Thursday’s game before Alexis Pupillo tied it up with a two-run shot in the bottom of the frame.
The Tide had struggled with runners in scoring position all game, but when Alabama’s home run leader Brooke Wells stepped to the plate with two on in the sixth inning, she made sure that wasn’t going to happen again. In her first ever game at the WCWS, Wells hit one over the right field wall to give Alabama a three-run lead.
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That score would hold as No. 1 Alabama beat No. 8 UCLA 6-3 to move into the winners’ bracket at the WCWS.
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The moment meant a lot for Wells after she went without a hit during the super regional round against LSU. The team rallied around her, and head coach Patrick Murphy put a card in her locker at the beginning of the week.
“It was great to do it for these girls,” Wells said after the game. “These girls are so great. They had my back all last weekend, you know, how he said. It wasn’t the best weekend for me, but they never lost trust in me, they never lost faith in me. Murph gave me a card, the girls picked me up all weekend. I walked in here feeling as confident as ever. Didn’t really cross my mind anything that happened last weekend.”
This is the first trip to the World Series for both Wells and Pupillo as transfers into Alabama. Pupillo is in her final season and has now hit a home run in three straight postseason games and is up to 20 on the season.
“This is the moment that I’ve been waiting for since I was like eight years old,” Pupillo said. “I walked through the gates today, I kind of started tearing up for a second because it just felt surreal. I just remember watching Montana Fouts pitch in the World Series when she threw the perfect game. That moment of me when I was eight years old watching it on the TV, man, I really want to do that.”
Alabama junior ace Jocelyn Briski shut down the UCLA batting order the first time through, but the Bruins bats wouldn’t stay down for long. UCLA rallied for three runs on four hits, including two home runs, in the third inning to take a 3-1 lead.
She did not allow another run to the potent UCLA offense over the next four innings. Briski finished with nine strikeouts against a team that does not strike out much.
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“You could see they hit two home runs, we hit two home runs, but the ability to come up with those timely hits with runners on obviously makes a difference,” UCLA coach Kelly Inoyue-Perez said after the game.
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Coming into the matchup, Alabama knew UCLA would score. It just wanted to limit the damage, and Briski was able to do that.
Jena Young set the tone for the offense at the top of the lineup, reaching base four times with three hits. She scored in the first inning on an RBI-single from Alabama’s senior captain Marlie Giles, Pupillo’s home run and on the Wells’ home run in the sixth inning.
Alabama (55-7) will face the winner of Thursday night’s game between No. 4 Nebraska and No. 5 Arkansas on Saturday. Winning the first game sets the tone for the rest of the series and makes the path a lot smoother. Around 90 percent of previous college softball national champions win their opening game at the WCWS.
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Alabama plays UCLA on Thursday night in the third first-round game of the Women’s College World Series
The Alabama Crimson Tide battles the UCLA Bruins on Thursday night in a first-round game of the Women’s College World Series. The Crimson Tide comes into the World Series on a five-game winning streak after sweeping through the regionals and super regional. They fell short in the SEC Tournament, as they lost to Texas 7-1, but they have been great in the postseason. They have given up just one combined run in the five postseason games and have easily moved on to the World Series. They beat USC Upstate twice and Belmont once in the regional by a combined 20-0 score. They then swept rival LSU in the super regional by a combined 11-1 score. They now sit at 54-7 on the season and are one of the favorites to win the National Championship.
How to Watch Alabama vs UCLA College Softball Today:
Game Date: Thursday, May 28, 2026
Game Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
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The Bruins, though, are looking to knock off the Crimson Tide and pick up a huge first-round upset on Thursday night.
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The Bruins also swept through the regional and super regional and come into the World Series 52-8 on the season.
The Bruins also came up short in their conference tournament, as they lost to Nebraska, but, like the Crimson Tide, have been good in the postseason. They got tested by Cal Baptist in the first game of the regional, but since that game, they have outscored their opponents 55-8.
What Time Is Alabama vs UCLA College Softball Game?
Game 3: Alabama vs UCLA will take place on Thursday, May 28, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. ET. Tune in and catch some great College Softball action.
What Channel Is Alabama vs UCLA College Softball Game?
Looking to watch this game? Fans can tune into ESPN2 to see the action. Make sure you subscribe to Fubo now to watch this matchup, as well as numerous other sports leagues.
Live stream Alabama vs UCLA College Softball on Fubo:Start watching now!
