Alabama lands at No. 13 in first AP poll of 2026, its lowest preseason spot since 2018

The Alabama Crimson Tide received a colder-than-usual reception in the first Associated Press college football poll of 2026. Alabama was ranked No. 13 in the preseason edition released at the start of the season discussion period, a spot that immediately framed the narrative around whether the program is being discounted or simply evaluated on a narrow set of early-season information.

To some observers, the placement reads like a “disrespectful” ranking, but the more relevant question is what the No. 13 position does to the conversation surrounding the team. According to the report, it is Alabama’s lowest ranking in a preseason AP poll since the 2018 team began that cycle at No. 24. That context matters because it shows this is not merely a minor dip, but a noticeable adjustment to how voters view the Tide at the outset.

The AP preseason poll has long functioned as a measuring stick for the national field before games begin. Voters typically weigh returning talent, recent performance, coaching continuity, and early expectations across the sport. Even when preseason rankings do not predict outcomes, they often shape early storylines, from who gets treated as a title favorite to which programs are expected to climb quickly once the schedule begins.

For Alabama, the ranking also lands in the program’s wider public identity. The Crimson Tide have historically been near the top of preseason evaluations, so a No. 13 start provides a built-in storyline for the opening stretch of 2026 coverage. It puts pressure not only on results, but on perception, because teams ranked inside the top 10 are often given more margin for error in the weeks that follow, while teams outside it are pushed to prove legitimacy faster.

Still, the “disrespect” framing can cut both ways. A lower preseason placement can become a motivator, yet it also reflects that Alabama is not being treated as the default summit of the sport in this first look. The only way to settle those arguments is through the on-field work, beginning in the games that determine how voters update their views over the course of the season.

What to watch next is how quickly Alabama closes the gap, if at all, in subsequent AP polling. The preseason ranking is just the opening snapshot. The follow-up polls, particularly after Alabama’s first major tests, will show whether the No. 13 spot was a temporary undervaluation or an accurate assessment of where the Tide fit in the 2026 title picture.