Alabama's Playoff Mindset Starts Now, Players Say

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Following back-to-back losses to the Georgia Bulldogs and the Tennessee Volunteers, Alabama has run out of mulligans for the 2026 regular season, and the Crimson Tide's mindset has shifted into "playoff mode."

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Alabama knows it has to win out to have a chance to make the College Football Playoffs, and while the coaches talked about a 1-0 mindset every week, players told the media on Tuesday that Alabama's mindset is "playoff mode" with five games left in the regular season.

"We're already in the playoffs," sophomore defensive back Ivan Taylor told reporters on Tuesday morning. "Our mentality is already 'playoffs.' Making sure we don't lose another game and going from top dog to underdog. We have our mind shifted."

While Taylor's comments have been misconstrued by fans on social media, sophomore tight end Marshall Pritchett expounded on it, with the Tide's "first round" playoff matchup being the 4-3 Texas A&M Aggies this weekend.

"For us, round one is Texas A&M. There's no more room for error," Pritchett said. "We all took accountability for what happened in the last game; nobody was perfect, but I'm excited to get back out there. Obviously, I trust in [Coach Ryan Grubb], trust in Keelon [Russell], and like I said earlier, it's just in me to go out there and execute."

While Alabama's "round one" opponent in Texas A&M looks to be a team the Tide should handle, the Aggies rank sixth in the SEC in yards allowed (305.9 per game), third in passing yards allowed (164.1 per game), and fourth in points allowed (17.1 per game). While the Aggies' record is not where Texas A&M wanted it to be at this point in the season, the Aggies defense, led by third-year head coach Mike Elko, is still as formidable as any.

"They're extremely explosive," Offensive lineman Michael Carroll said of Texas A&M's defense. "They make a lot of plays. Great defense, really great players across the board. Great challenge."

No. 13 Alabama will host Texas A&M for homecoming on Saturday, October 24, at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.