Three Crucial Matchups on Alabama's 2026 Schedule: Just a Minute

The Crimson Tide has opportunities to avenge losses, win thrillers and break streaks next season.

Defense lines up against Tennessee at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, TN on Saturday, Oct 19, 2024. | Photo by Crimson Tide Photos / UA Athletics

Welcome to BamaCentral’s "Just a Minute," a video series featuring BamaCentral's Alabama beat writers. Multiple times a week, the writers will provide their take on a topic concerning the Crimson Tide or the landscape of college sports.

Watch the above video as BamaCentral staff writer Hunter De Siver discusses three games on Alabama's 2026 schedule.

The SEC released the opponents for every football team in the conference over the next four years on Tuesday evening.

It was announced on Aug. 21 that the SEC will play nine conference games for the next few seasons after running an 8-game format since 1992.

Alabama has a few intriguing matchups in 2026 against the SEC and outside of the conference. Here are the Crimson Tide's three best games for next season.

Home vs. Florida State

Alabama lost its season opener 31-17 against Florida State on the road a few weeks ago. It was the Crimson Tide's first loss in a season opener since 2001, which came before a heavy majority of Alabama's roster was even born. The Crimson Tide came into this game with the No. 8 rank in the preseason AP Top 25, while the Seminoles weren't even ranked.

Fast forward to today, Florida State has been one of the biggest surprises in college football as it currently ranks No. 8 while Alabama sits at No. 17. The Crimson Tide is eyeing revenge in 2026 as it'll play host to the Seminoles. Falling to the same non-conference team in back-to-back seasons would be extremely detrimental to Alabama's general status in the sport.

Home vs. Georgia

Alabama always draws a ton of viewers when it faces Auburn, LSU and Tennessee, but there always seems to be more hype surrounding its matchups with the Bulldogs. Five of the last seven meetings have been played on a neutral field, two of which were National Championship settings. Alabama has won all but one of the last seven meetings and four of these victories came by one possession.

The Crimson Tide hosted the Bulldogs last season in what was widely regarded as the "Game of the Year," and it is just a couple of days from playing head coach Kirby Smart and company in Athens, Ga. Best believe that the results of Saturday's showdown will stay in the minds of both teams in the days leading up to the 2026 contest.

Away at Tennessee

Before its loss in 2022, Alabama had won the last 15 games against Tennessee. That's FIFTEEN straight victories against a program that's been considered to be one of UA's biggest rivals for over a century. Whether the Crimson Tide was home or away, it had a firm grasp of the Volunteers' number.

It might be a small sample size, but Tennessee has started a streak of its own against Alabama as not only did the Vols win at home in 2022, but it also took down the Tide 24-17 in Neyland Stadium last season. Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer has struggled on the road in his tenure thus far, but a win in a raucous Knoxville, Tenn., environment next season would be tremendous.