The Alabama Crimson Tide didn't have the most impressive win on the Week 8 college football schedule, but they didn't necessarily need to in a 31-20 victory over Texas A&M at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
With the Crimson Tide trailing 20-17 after three quarters, Keelon Russell found Marshall Pritchett alone in the back of the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. Russell then hit Kaleb Edwards for an 8-yard touchdown on the Tide's next possession as Alabama pulled away from the Aggies.
Russell was 9 of 11 for 150 yards in the second half and finished 19 of 30 for 311 passing yards in the win. If style points are all that matter, then Alabama's come-from-behind win over Texas A&M left something to be desired.
In the big
picture, though, the Crimson Tide overcame the loss of several key contributors on offense and defense, including star receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams, offensive linemen Racin Delgatty and Will Sanders, running back EJ Crowell and defensive back Zabien Brown. They found a way to win a gritty game against another team that was always going to give the Tide its best punch.
Alabama's College Football Playoff hopes hinge on how it finishes its final three SEC games, beginning with a Nov. 7 road trip to Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge to face LSU in Lane Kiffin's first season as coach.
For now, one national outlet is betting Kalen DeBoer's team will be shut out of the final 12-team playoff picture come Selection Sunday.
In his latest playoff and bowl projections for CBS Sports, college football analyst and author John Talty has the Crimson Tide settling for a spot in the Music City Bowl in Nashville.
Talty forecasts a matchup between Alabama and the Iowa Hawkeyes on Dec. 30. Along with the annual Citrus Bowl in Orlando and the ReliaQuest Bowl (formerly the Outback Bowl) in Tampa, the Music City Bowl in one of three SEC vs. Big Ten games that pit the two superconferences against each other.
It's the second such projection for the Crimson Tide entering Week 9. ESPN's Mark Schlabach also predicted Alabama would go bowling in Nashville, though his outlook sees the Tide facing the Wisconsin Badgers.
Alabama (6-2, 3-2 SEC) is No. 10 in the US LBM Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25. The Crimson Tide have a bye in Week 9 and will face the LSU Tigers (6-2, 3-2) at 2:30 p.m. CT on Nov. 7. Alabama-LSU will be televised on ABC.
ESPN predicts the winner of Alabama football's last four games
— Roll Tide Wire (@RollTideWire) October 28, 2026
📸 David Leong, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect https://t.co/Fbr0wCxTAU pic.twitter.com/57qiwAr7bQ
Alabama football schedule 2026
All times Central.
- Sept. 5: vs. East Carolina Pirates (W, 48-10)
- Sept. 12: at Kentucky Wildcats (W, 45-17)
- Sept. 19: vs. Florida State Seminoles (W, 50-36)
- Sept. 26: vs. South Carolina Gamecocks (W, 49-18)
- Oct. 3: at Mississippi State Bulldogs (W, 56-23)
- Oct. 10: vs. Georgia Bulldogs (L, 20-17)
- Oct. 17: at Tennessee Volunteers (L, 26-10)
- Oct. 24: vs. Texas A&M Aggies (W, 31-20)
- Nov. 7: at LSU Tigers, 2:30 p.m., ABC
- Nov. 14: at Vanderbilt Commodores, TBA
- Nov. 21: vs. Chattanooga Mocs, 1 p.m., SEC Network+
- Nov. 28: vs. Auburn Tigers, TBA
Record: 6-2 overall, 4-2 SEC.
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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: CBS Sports shuts Alabama football out of CFP race in latest projection
