Alabama football's 31-13 statement win over the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge has caused one national outlet to make a bold prediction for Kalen DeBoer's team.
In USA TODAY Sports' new playoff and bowl game projections
entering Week 11, analyst Erick Smith sees Alabama (7-2, 5-2 SEC) making a deep College Football Playoff run that lands them in the national championship game on Jan. 25 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.The Crimson Tide's opponent in the title game, Smith believes, will be a familiar face and a fellow SEC team: Kirby Smart's Georgia Bulldogs.
Alabama used three Keelon Russell touchdown passes in four drives to overcome a brief 13-10 deficit late in the third quarter against LSU at Tiger Stadium in Week 10. After giving up 10 points
in the third quarter, the Crimson Tide's defense came up big in the fourth quarter. LSU's final four drives against Kane Wommack's unit: turnover on downs, punt, turnover on downs, turnover on downs.
Alabama debuted at No. 5 in the College Football Playoff rankings on Nov. 3. The Tide rose two spot to No. 7 in this week's US LBM Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25. The updated CFP rankings will be unveiled Tuesday beginning at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN.
In the meantime, USA TODAY Sports outlined Alabama's path to the national championship game this way:
Alabama football's CFP path to national championship game includes four playoff opponents
In USA TODAY's projection, the Alabama earns the No. 6 seed in the College Football Playoff and hosts the Iowa Hawkeyes in a first-round game on Dec. 18 or 19 at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Alabama advances to the CFP quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1 and defeats the UCLA Bruins, the outlet's projected Big Ten champion and No. 3 overall seed.
The Tide then head to the Sugar Bowl for a matchup against projected No. 2 seed Utah in the semifinals on Jan. 15. Alabama beats Utah in New Orleans to punch its ticket to Vegas for a rematch with Georgia in the title game.
The Bulldogs (8-1, 6-1 SEC) are the No. 1 seed in USA TODAY Sports' Week 11 playoff projections and sit atop the SEC standings. Georgia routed Ole Miss, 42-7, in Week 10 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Georgia's path to the national championship game, in Smith's outlook, has the Bulldogs beating Texas in a quarterfinals matchup at the Peach Bowl before taking down Notre Dame in the semifinals at the Orange Bowl.
Unusual TV channel, time for Alabama football at Vanderbilt in Week 11
— Roll Tide Wire (@RollTideWire) November 10, 2026
📸 Matt Bush, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect https://t.co/KkO1drx94f pic.twitter.com/ELqNiurU2f
Alabama football schedule 2026
Alabama faces Vanderbilt (4-5, 1-5) at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville in Week 11 of the 2026 college football season. Kickoff for Alabama-Vanderbilt is 11:45 a.m. CT. The game can be seen on SEC Network.
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 (W, 31-13)
- Nov. 14: at Vanderbilt Commodores, 11:45 a.m., SEC Network
- Nov. 21: vs. Chattanooga Mocs, 1 p.m., SEC Network+
- Nov. 28: vs. Auburn Tigers, TBA
Record: 7-2, 5-2 SEC.
Who has the edge? Latest odds for Alabama vs. Vanderbilt in Week 11
— Roll Tide Wire (@RollTideWire) November 10, 2026
📸 Steve Roberts, USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con https://t.co/B2HNfVV18R pic.twitter.com/LX9OE7uhNi
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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: USA TODAY Sports makes bold prediction for Alabama football in CFP
