www.thestar.com - RSS Results of type article
· collected 2026-08-20 · by Mark Long The Associated Press
The University of Alabama's football team, ranked No. 13 in 2025 with an 11-4 record, is looking to return to the College Football Playoff under coach Kalen DeBoer and end the Southeastern Conference's three-year national championship drought. The team will be led by a new starting quarterback, either Austin Mack or Keelon Russell, who will throw to top receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams (1,654 yards receiving in two seasons). Alabama's defense is expected to be strong, particularly its secondary, which returns all five starters from last season and ranked third in the SEC in total defense. The team's main weakness is at running back and quarterback, where they struggled in 2025 and lost several key players due to graduation or injury.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-20,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
No. 13 Alabama, a powerhouse team in the Southeastern Conference, is looking to make back-to-back appearances in the College Football Playoff (CFP) and end the conference's three-year national championship drought. Under third-year coach Kalen DeBoer, the team will have a new starting quarterback, with Austin Mack and Keelon Russell competing for the spot. Last season, Alabama beat Oklahoma 34-24 in the CFP but lost to top-seeded Indiana in the Rose Bowl, 38-3. The team's strengths include a loaded secondary, led by five experienced starters, including cornerback Zabien Brown and safety Bray Hubbard.
Written for “College Football Preview” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 1570 · logged 2026-08-21
The Crimson Tide look to make back-to-back appearances in the College Football Playoff under third-year coach Kalen DeBoer and potentially end the Southeastern Conference’s three-year national championship drought.
asserted
Tide → look → drought
The powerhouse league hasn’t even made the title game since Georgia won consecutive championships in 2022-23.
asserted
Georgia → make → 2022
Alabama beat Oklahoma 34-24 in the opening round of the CFP last year and then got rolled by top-seeded and eventual national champ Indiana in the Rose Bowl, 38-3.
asserted
Alabama → beat → Bowl
DeBoer will turn to his third different starting QB in Tuscaloosa, with Austin Mack and Keelon Russell vying for the starting job.
asserted
Mack → turn → job
Whichever guy earns the spot will get to throw to one of the league’s top receivers, Ryan Coleman-Williams (1,654 yards receiving and 12 TDs in two seasons).
asserted
earns → earn → seasons
Strengths include a loaded secondary
All five starters in Alabama’s vaunted secondary played significant snaps last season, including CBs Zabien Brown and Dijon Lee Jr. as well as All-SEC SS Bray Hubbard.
asserted
starters → include → Brown
FS Keon Sabb and NB Red Morgan round out what should be the strength of the defense under coordinator Kane Wommack, who is back for a third year.
asserted
who → round → year
The Crimson Tide ranked third in the SEC in total defense and led the league in passing defense, averaging just under 170 yards a game through the air.
asserted
Tide → rank → air
Weaknesses include inexperienced RB and QB play
The Tide want – and need – to run the ball better to have a chance in 2026.
asserted
Tide → include → 2026
The team ranked 15th in the league in rushing offense in 2025, failing to find consistency all season and really struggling (48 total yards on the ground) in their final three games.
asserted
team → rank → games
The position group already is down one potential starter after AK Dear injured an ankle in camp, sidelining him for several games to start the regular season.
asserted
Dear → injure → season
Daniel Hill and Kevin Riley saw action last year, but neither gained more than 300 yards.
asserted
neither → see → yards
True freshmen Trae’shawn Brown and EJ Crowell should get chances to show what they can do.
asserted
they → get → what
The ground game could be key to helping whoever starts at quarterback.
uncertain
whoever → help → quarterback
Both Mark and Russell played sparingly behind Ty Simpson in 2025.
asserted
Mark → play → 2025
