Happy Gump Day, everyone. Alabama faces Texas A&M this weekend in a game that they absolutely cannot afford to lose if making the College Football Playoff is a goal. The players seem to understand the urgency.
“You have to put pressure,” Taylor said after Tuesday’s practice. “Pressure’s a good thing. Pressure makes diamonds. With that pressure on our back, we’re going to make sure we have a point to prove.”
Alabama has shown flashes of its potential and looked like a team capable of winning a championship at times. The Crimson Tide went on the road to Starkville and dominated Mississippi State, 56-23. The team went toe to toe with Georgia in what looked and felt like a playoff matchup in Tuscaloosa. But last Saturday’s performance in Knoxville left “more questions than answers” about the direction of the team, especially on offense.
Starting right guard Michael Carroll “100 percent” believes in his team and definitely thinks it’s possible for Alabama to go on the type of run it did last season.
“Like you said, playoffs start now, so we’re ready for it,” Carroll said.
Taylor seems to be gaining some ground on Keon Sabb, whose tackling has always left something to be desired. The safety rotation will be something to watch.
Marshall Pritchett says that pads were popping at practice.
“Nobody was moping, nobody was dragging their head,” Pritchett said. “It’s just, let’s go out there and fly around and have fun. I think the tone was set off the first play. People were hitting each other, taking the talk. That’s exactly what you want.”
For Pritchett, it wasn’t talk. Like Woodson, Pritchett remembers the first play he faced after Hubbard’s and Thompkins’ sermons.
“My first play of the day, I was blocking (Fatutoa) Henry, and it was like, ‘OK, we’re here. There ain’t no running from the physicality,'” Pritchett said.
Bray Hubbard apparently started off the day with a little pep talk for the squad.
Leadership is a trait needed in every football team at every level, and it needs to be the most apparent after a loss. Well, Alabama has dropped consecutive games (Georgia and Tennessee) for the first time since 2013. Doubt has been cast on the program by the college football world, and before Tuesday’s practice, Hubbard stood up at the morning meeting.
“To start the day off, Bray Hubbard gave an incredible speech about being uncomfortable,” Alabama tight end Marshall Pritchett said on Tuesday. “I think (Kalen) DeBoer addressed the media with that after the game.
“Bray’s obviously an incredible leader, but this morning I guess there was something strong on his chest and he’s a guy we all look up to for leadership. He stood up, we listened and I thought he did a great job setting the tone for the day.”
Whatever it takes, I guess. As always, the play on Saturday is what matters.
Michael Carroll and Pritchett were on record Respecting the Opponent.
The Aggies defense is “extremely explosive,” Alabama offensive lineman Michael Carroll said, one that allows 17.1 points per game, behind only Tennessee, Georgia and LSU in the SEC. Texas A&M has a pass defense that has been nails, allowing a league-best 56.3% completion rate even with a defense that has generated an SEC-worst five sacks in seven games.
“I think A&M’s a great defense,” Alabama tight end Marshall Pritchett said. “A lot of good players. It’s the SEC, so every week, you’re going to get great players. You look at the scouting report and it’s freaking draft pick, draft pick, draft pick. I’m just excited to compete. I think they’re a great defense.”
The Aggies do have NFL talent at all three levels of the defense, but like Alabama, those pieces haven’t always functioned together as they should. The pass defense in particular has been exploited quite a bit this season.
Isaiah Horton and Wilkin Formby aren’t faring much better in College Station.
Horton spent one season at Alabama, after transferring in from Miami. He was a key element to the Crimson Tide’s offense, meshing well with quarterback Ty Simpson, catching the winning touchdown in last season’s Iron Bowl victory over Auburn.
So far in 2026, Horton has 20 catches for 280 yards and three touchdowns. He has yet to crack 100 yards receiving in a game, and hasn’t score a touchdown since Texas A&M’s Sept. 12 win over Arizona State.
Formby was a starter last season for Alabama, after spending most of the prior two seasons as a reserve. He moved from tackle to guard midseason, making way for Michael Carroll to take over the right tackle spot.
When he initially transferred to TAMU, the plan was to move Formby back out to tackle. However, in recent games, he has been back inside for the Aggies.
Dan Santaromita at The Athletic explains why Alabama is still favored to make the playoff.
Alabama has two losses but is still a solid favorite to make the Playoff. Why? Well, the remaining schedule isn’t that tough, and if these upsets continue, a 9-3 team in the 12-team field isn’t a wild thought. The Crimson Tide have a 28-point win at Kentucky that is aging better by the week, and their only remaining matchup against a ranked opponent is a road game at No. 18 LSU on Nov. 7.
Per Austin Mock’s College Football Projection Model, here are the spreads for Alabama’s remaining games:
-14.6 vs. Texas A&M
+4.5 at LSU
-16.6 at Vanderbilt
-48.2 vs. Chattanooga
-12.4 vs. Auburn
So before you write the Tide off over two straight losses, it’s not much of a stretch for this team to go 10-2. There’s one game in which Alabama is projected as an underdog and four others in which it’s a huge favorite. Mock’s numbers give Alabama a 23 percent chance of winning out.
As long as Georgia and Tennessee both finish in the top 10, neither of those losses will really be held against the Tide. As crazy as it would have sounded coming into the season, the win at Kentucky is doing some work. If LSU wins out, then Alabama would have three losses, all top ten teams with two coming on the road.
Hopefully the Tide will be able to ensure that they don’t win out, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.
Nick Saban was as honest as ever when asked about why playoffs are expanding.
So, we asked Saban why he thinks the leadership with the power to make the move would do something so unpopular with the general public.
“Do you really want me to say it?” Saban said with a deadpan glance and a slight grin before speaking with the Monday Morning Quarterback Club in Birmingham.
Indeed.
“My buddies in Western Union say it’s not about the money, it’s about how much,” Saban said. “So, I know people are looking for new resources of revenue as costs go up relative to, you know, paying players and all that kind stuff. But I do think this is all about revenue.
Last, Alabama basketball has a bit of a scheduling quirk this season. It’s possible that one game gets canceled.
The Tuscaloosa News has obtained a communication sent to season ticketholders on Friday, Oct. 16, informing them that tickets were available to download digitally and that Alabama‘s matchup against Samford is not included in the season ticket package, explaining the following:
“Should the Crimson Tide advance to the Players Era Tournament Championship game on Saturday, November 28, the December 29 contest will be canceled. If the Crimson Tide does not advance to the Players Era Tournament Championship, all season ticket holders will receive single-event tickets to the December 29 game at no additional cost.”
The reason for this is a hard cap of 32 games per NCAA rules. Teams at the Players’ Era event have a three game guarantee, which would but Alabama at the cap. If they advance to the championship game, that would put them over by one and the Samford game will get the ax.
The final preseason scrimmage is tomorrow vs Auburn, at Birmingham’s Legacy Arena.
That’s about it for now. Have a great day.
Roll Tide.