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What SEC championship round-robin tiebreakers mean for Alabama football after LSU win

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What SEC championship round-robin tiebreakers mean for Alabama football after LSU win


Sixteen SEC football games remain until two championship game bids are awarded.

That is 65,536 potential outcomes to decide which two SEC teams have the chance to play for an SEC championship in Atlanta Dec. 7.

But despite losses to Vanderbilt and Tennessee during conference play, Alabama football has a significant chance to make the SEC championship, especially after its 42-13 win at LSU Saturday night.

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Here’s a look at where the Crimson Tide stand with three games left on its schedule including conference bouts against Oklahoma and Auburn.

Where Alabama stands in SEC standings

Alabama is one of five two-loss teams in the SEC along with Georgia, Ole Miss, LSU and Missouri.

Head-to-head, the Crimson Tide hold an advantage over each of them. Alabama beat Georgia, LSU and Missouri, while it has a better record against common conference opponents than Ole Miss.

Here is a look at the current SEC standings through Week 11 of the football season.

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  • Texas A&M (5-1)
  • Tennessee (5-1)
  • Texas (4-1)
  • Georgia (5-2)
  • Alabama (4-2)
  • Ole Miss (4-2)
  • LSU (3-2)
  • Missouri (3-2)
  • South Carolina (4-3)
  • Arkansas (3-3)
  • Vanderbilt (3-3)
  • Florida (2-4)
  • Auburn (1-5)
  • Oklahoma (1-5)
  • Kentucky (1-6)
  • Mississippi State (0-6)

But head-to-head tiebreakers may not be what Alabama needs to have an advantage in by the end of the season.

What SEC round-robin tiebreaker means for Alabama football

In the event of a tie between three or more teams vying for an SEC championship bid, the tiebreaker begins at head-to-head competition among the tied teams and the record against all common conference opponents. From there, the record against the highest-placed common conference will be compared.

If a tie remains, the teams will be ranked by cumulative conference winning percentage of all conference opponents among tied teams, followed by a comparison of relative total scoring margin. As a last resort, a random draw of the tied teams will ensue.

The farther tiebreakers go, the more they would favor Alabama.

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In SEC play, Alabama has faced five teams currently ranked in the US LBM Coaches Poll top 25: Georga, South Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri and LSU.

If Alabama were to win out, according to mred’s SEC standings tracker, its conference opponent win percentage would be better than teams like Georgia, Ole Miss, LSU, Tennessee, if it loses to the Bulldogs Saturday, and Texas A&M, if it loses to Texas Nov. 30.

But it’s close. The Crimson Tide’s advantage is by 0.0.156 percentage points.

Which games could decide Alabama SEC championship fate?

If Texas wins its next two games against Arkansas and Kentucky, and Texas A&M beats Auburn Nov. 23, the Longhorns vs. Aggies game Nov. 30 will be for the top seed in the SEC. The loser would fall below two-loss Alabama because of the Crimson Tide’s conference opponent win percentage.

After Georgia’s loss to Ole Miss Saturday, Tennessee alone could decide the Crimson Tide’s fate.

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If the Volunteers beat the Bulldogs and Vanderbilt, the SEC championship bid is theirs. If Tennessee loses to either team, and is in group of two-loss teams tied with Alabama, the Crimson Tide would take the SEC championship slot if it wins out even with Tennessee holding the individual head-to-head tiebreaker against Alabama.

An Arkansas win against Missouri Nov. 30 could also disrupt Alabama’s plans for an SEC championship. If the Razorbacks beat the Tigers, LSU would jump Alabama for an SEC championship bid in a five-way tie of two-loss SEC teams between the Crimson Tide, LSU, Georgia, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Tennessee.

Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter. 



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Former Alabama OL starter transferring to SEC rival

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Former Alabama OL starter transferring to SEC rival


Alabama football will see one of its ex-starters next season. Wilkin Formby is joining Texas A&M out of the transfer portal, after three seasons with the Crimson Tide.

Formby shared the news to his Instagram account on Wednesday. He opted to enter the transfer portal after the 2025 season came to an end with a 38-3 loss to Indiana in the Rose Bowl.

The Tuscaloosa native and Northridge product played both guard and tackle this past season. Coaches praised his versatility.

“Wilkin obviously has the athleticism to to play inside, and the size,” offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said in September. “So I think there’s a couple things that happen for Wilkin in there, his natural pad-level because he’s got his hand in the dirt, and he’s got a good base and wide frame, so he’d done a really nice job in there. So we keep working on that and expand. As long as he can stay right-handed, playing on the right side, I think the transition for him is easy.”

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Formby started out the year at right tackle, where he had previously played. He eventually moved over to guard, after Michael Carroll emerged as a viable tackle option.

The departure of Formby is part of a larger renovation of the Crimson Tide’s offensive line, which has now lost every starter besides Carroll. Kadyn Proctor and Parker Brailsford opted to leave early for the NFL Draft, while Geno VanDeMark, Kam Dewberry and Jaeden Roberts are out of eligibility.

Alabama is also losing several reserve linemen to the portal. Arkel Anugwom is entering, joining Olaus Alinen (who committed to Kentucky), Joseph Ionata and Micah DeBose.

UA has made one offensive line pickup from the portal. Former Michigan center Kaden Strayhorn is joining the Tide.

Alabama will face Formby in Tuscaloosa this season. Texas A&M visits Bryant-Denny Stadium on Oct. 24.

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Undergraduate players can opt to enter the transfer portal through Jan. 16.



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Prediction, odds for Alabama vs. Vanderbilt in Top 15 SEC showdown

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Prediction, odds for Alabama vs. Vanderbilt in Top 15 SEC showdown


After an impressive home win over Kentucky this past Saturday afternoon, the SEC road opener has now arrived for the Alabama Crimson Tide, which is a trip to Nashville to face the unbeaten Vanderbilt Commodores on Wednesday night.

Two teams ranked in the Top 15 nationally in the latest USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll, Alabama and Vanderbilt have emerged as two of the SEC’s top teams this season, and are also both currently among the top scoring teams in all of college basketball.

Both of Alabama and Vanderbilt are also loaded with talent as well, headlined by a talented group of guards such as Labaron Philon Jr. and Aden Holloway for the Crimson Tide, as well as the Commodores duo of Duke Miles and Tyler Tanner.

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One of college basketball’s top matchups of the week, following are the latest odds for the SEC showdown between Alabama and Vanderbilt in Nashville.

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Tuesday, Jan. 6:

  • Money Line: Alabama (plus-145), Vanderbilt (minus-180)
  • Spread: Vanderbilt by 4 1/2
  • Over/Under: 178 1/2

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Vanderbilt Commodores prediction, pick:

Memorial Gymnasium can be a difficult place to play for a road team at times, and it will likely be challenging for the Crimson Tide on Wednesday night, especially with the undefeated Commodores on the opposite end of the floor. A matchup in which Alabama has won four-straight dating back to 2023, as well as the last five in Nashville, I’ll go with Alabama to hand Vanderbilt their first loss Wednesday night in a high-scoring contest. Prediction: Alabama 88, Vanderbilt 82

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Vanderbilt Commodores channel, start time, streaming:

A Top 25 showdown, Alabama and Vanderbilt are set to meet Wednesday, Jan. 7, from inside Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, Tennessee. The game is set to begin at 9 p.m. ET live on ESPN2.

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Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.





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Alabama offensive lineman transferring to Georgia Tech

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Alabama offensive lineman transferring to Georgia Tech


Georgia Tech

Joseph Ionata, who spent two years with the Tide, will be joining former teammate Jaylen Mbakwe.

Georgia Tech fans celebrate during the second half against Syracuse on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta. (Hyosub Shin/AJC 2025)

A second former member of the Alabama Crimson Tide is transferring to Georgia Tech.

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Offensive lineman Joseph Ionata intends to play for the Yellow Jackets, according to On3. Ionata spent two years with the Tide and would be joining former Alabama defensive back and wide receiver Jaylen Mbakwe.

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Chad Bishop

Chad Bishop is a Georgia Tech sports reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

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