Alabama basketball is just three days from tipping off its 2026-27 season!
The Crimson Tide is ranked No. 20 in the Preseason AP Top 25, marking the sixth consecutive time head coach Nate Oats' program has been placed in the renowned preseason poll.
But then again, come March, the AP rank isn't what's associated with a team, but rather its seed for the NCAA Tournament. Numerous media outlets have put out some way-too-early March Madness Bracketology predictions.
Here's where Alabama is projected, per Sports Illustrated, ESPN, CBS and On3.
Sports Illustrated (East Region)
- No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 LIU/UT Martin
- No. 8 LSU vs. No. 9 USC
- No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 12 Wichita State
- No. 4 Michigan vs. No. 13 Murray State
- No. 6 Nebraska vs. No. 11 VCU
- No. 3 Texas vs. No. 14 UNC Wilmington
- No. 7 Missouri vs. No. 10 Wisconsin/Xavier
- No. 2 Houston vs. No. 15 North Dakota State/Austin Peay
ESPN (Midwest Region)
- No. 1 Illinois vs. No. 16 Queens/Tennessee State
- No. 8 Missouri vs. No. 9 North Carolina
- No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 12 NC State/Utah State
- No. 4 St. John's vs. No. 13 McNeese
- No. 6 Kentucky vs. No. 11 Clemson/Providence
- No. 3 Virginia vs. No. 14 Liberty
- No. 7 Purdue vs. No. 10 Baylor
- No. 2 Houston vs No. 15 Furman
CBS (East Region)
- No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Lipscomb/LIU
- No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Virginia
- No. 5 Arkansas vs. No. 12 Indiana/NC State
- No. 4 Iowa State vs. No. 13 UNC Wilmington
- No. 6 Nebraska vs. No. 11 Utah State/Marquette
- No. 3 Kansas vs. No. 14 Yale
- No. 7 Saint Louis vs. No. 10 Clemson
- No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 15 Montana State/Merrimack
On3 (South Region)
- No. 1 UConn vs. No. 16 Vermont/Howard
- No. 8 BYU vs. No. 9 USC
- No. 5 Michigan vs. No. 12 Wichita State
- No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 13 High Point
- No. 6 Vanderbilt vs. No. 11 Baylor/SMU
- No. 3 Virginia vs. No. 14 UNC Wilmington
- No. 7 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Auburn/St. Louis
- No. 2 Houston vs. No. 15 ETSU/Merrimack
Alabama's roster for the upcoming season looks much different, with nine newcomers in Tuscaloosa. 12 of the 15 players are at least 6-foot-6, which should help in many areas that the Crimson Tide has struggled in.
"You look at some of the losses we had, a lot of those…we just kind of got manhandled on glass,"Oats said at SEC Tipoff '27 on Oct. 13. "So, the big point of emphasis for us in the offseason was getting significantly bigger, not just taller, kind of at the two, three and four."
The 2025-26 season ended at the hands ofMichigan in the Sweet 16of the NCAA Tournament. The Crimson Tide met its expectations. It started the season ranked No. 15 in the AP Top 25 and entered March Madness at the same spot. In terms of the SEC, Alabama was predicted to finish fourth in 2025-26, but ended up tying for second.
The Tide finished the preseason 3-0, with wins over Furman, Ole Miss and Auburn. However, Oats wasn't fully satisfied.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/alabama as Alabama Basketball's Spot in Season-Opening Bracketology.