Alabama basketball will enter the 2026-27 season ranked among the nation's top 20 teams in the USA TODAY Sports preseason Coaches Poll.
In the poll, released Monday, Oct. 19, Nate Oats' Crimson Tide checked in tied for No. 18 with Kansas, with both programs receiving 286 points.
Alabama ranks fifth among seven SEC teams ranked in the Coaches Poll.
Florida leads the conference and the country at No. 1, receiving 20 first-place votes. Texas follows at No. 7, with Tennessee at No. 9 and Arkansas at No. 13. Vanderbilt (No. 21) and Kentucky (No. 23) round out the SEC's ranked teams.
The Crimson Tide enters the season following a 25-10 campaign in 2025-26 that included a 13-5 conference record, tying Arkansas for second place in the SEC regular-season standings behind Florida.
Alabama's postseason began with an 80-79 upset loss to Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. The Crimson Tide rebounded in the NCAA Tournament, earning a No. 4 seed and defeating Hofstra and Texas Tech to reach its fourth consecutive Sweet 16, a program record.
Alabama also earned the No. 20 ranking in the preseason Top 25.
The Crimson Tide will begin regular-season play Tuesday, Nov. 3, against Sam Houston at Coleman Coliseum, but has one last preseason exhibition against rival Auburn on Thursday, Oct. 22. Here's a full look at the Coaches Poll:
| Rank | Team | Record | PTS | 1st | Prev | Chg | Hi/Lo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida Gators | 0-0 | 732 | 20 | NR | - | 1/1 |
| 2 | Duke Blue Devils | 0-0 | 725 | 8 | NR | - | 2/2 |
| 3 | Illinois Fighting Illini | 0-0 | 683 | 2 | NR | - | 3/3 |
| 4 | Arizona Wildcats | 0-0 | 634 | 0 | NR | - | 4/4 |
| 5 | UConn Huskies | 0-0 | 612 | 0 | NR | - | 5/5 |
| 6 | Michigan State Spartans | 0-0 | 570 | 0 | NR | - | 6/6 |
| 7 | Texas Longhorns | 0-0 | 527 | 0 | NR | - | 7/7 |
| 8 | Houston Cougars | 0-0 | 486 | 0 | NR | - | 8/8 |
| 9 | Tennessee Volunteers | 0-0 | 436 | 0 | NR | - | 9/9 |
| 10 | Virginia Cavaliers | 0-0 | 409 | 0 | NR | - | 10/10 |
| 11 | Louisville Cardinals | 0-0 | 369 | 0 | NR | - | 11/11 |
| 12 | Gonzaga Bulldogs | 0-0 | 361 | 0 | NR | - | 12/12 |
| 13 | Arkansas Razorbacks | 0-0 | 345 | 0 | NR | - | 13/13 |
| 14 | St. John's Red Storm | 0-0 | 316 | 0 | NR | - | 14/14 |
| 14 | Iowa State Cyclones | 0-0 | 316 | 0 | NR | - | 14/14 |
| 16 | Texas Tech Red Raiders | 0-0 | 314 | 0 | NR | - | 16/16 |
| 17 | Miami (FL) Hurricanes | 0-0 | 292 | 0 | NR | - | 17/17 |
| 18 | Kansas Jayhawks | 0-0 | 286 | 0 | NR | - | 18/18 |
| 18 | Alabama Crimson Tide | 0-0 | 286 | 0 | NR | - | 18/18 |
| 20 | Michigan Wolverines | 0-0 | 219 | 0 | NR | - | 20/20 |
| 21 | Vanderbilt Commodores | 0-0 | 164 | 0 | NR | - | 21/21 |
| 22 | USC Trojans | 0-0 | 103 | 0 | NR | - | 22/22 |
| 23 | Kentucky Wildcats | 0-0 | 100 | 0 | NR | - | 23/23 |
| 24 | Purdue Boilermakers | 0-0 | 83 | 0 | NR | - | 24/24 |
| 25 | BYU Cougars | 0-0 | 76 | 0 | NR | - | 25/25 |
Others Receiving Votes
Nebraska 66; UCLA 64; Missouri 60; Ohio State 31; North Carolina 24; Texas A&M 19; Villanova 14; Indiana 9; Wisconsin 5; Saint Louis 4; Cincinnati 4; West Virginia 2; Creighton 2; Maryland 1; Auburn 1;
REQUIRED READING: Three things to watch as Alabama basketball faces Auburn in historic exhibition
Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for The Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Where is Alabama basketball ranked in 2026-27 preseason polls?