Top Five Quarterbacks Alabama Will Face During 2026 Season

Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack is entering his third season with the Crimson Tide, and told AL.com yesterday that the Tide's defense is 'in a good place' heading into summer 2026. Alabama returns five players who started games in the secondary last season, in addition to multiple contributors in the back end. In the front seven, Alabama returns its sack leader from 2025, Yhonzae Pierre, and one of its top up-and-coming interior defensive linemen in London Simmons. Alabama added key pieces in the recruiting class and via the transfer portal, setting Wommack and the defensive coaching staff up for success in a year that the Crimson Tide may need to rely on its veteran-led defense while its offense sifts through several new faces.

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The task of stopping opposing SEC offenses will not be easy, especially with the veteran quarterbacks returning and high-powered transfer additions made across the conference. Who are the top-five opposing signal callers that Alabama's defense will face in 2026?

Gunner Stockton - Georgia Bulldogs

Stockton is one of the most veteran quarterbacks returning after starting 15 games for Georgia over the last two seasons (14 starts in 2025). The two-time SEC champion passed for 2,894 yards and 24 touchdowns as the Dawgs' starter last season, leading Georgia to an 11-1 regular season record, getting revenge on Georgia's regular season loss to Alabama in the SEC championship with 156 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-7 win over the Crimson Tide in Atlanta.

Stockton and Georgia have the second-best odds of any SEC team to win the national championship next season, at +850 on FanDuel Sportsbook, behind only the Texas Longhorns at +750. Alabama will face Georgia on Saturday, October 10.

Marcel Reed - Texas A&M

Reed led Texas A&M to its most successful season since 2012, when Johnny Manziel led the Aggies to an 11-2 record and clinched the Heisman Trophy in Texas A&M's first season in the SEC. Reed led the Aggies to an 11-2 record in 2025, passing for 3,169 yards and 25 touchdowns while adding 493 yards and six scores on the ground. Reed's completion percentage was low (62.1%), but he was still prolific when needed for the Aggies, leading a 13-play, 74-yard drive to score a game-winning touchdown against then-No. 8 Notre Dame in week three.

Reed sputtered in the final two games of Texas A&M's season, with 180 yards and two interceptions in the regular season finale against Texas, and 237 yards and two interceptions in the College Football Playoff against Miami. The Aggies have the third-best odds in the SEC to win the national championship at +1900 on Fanduel Sportsbook. Alabama will face Texas A&M on Saturday, October 24.

Sam Leavitt - LSU

The LSU Tigers attacked the transfer portal, and new head coach Lane Kiffin got his immediate impact quarterback in Arizona State's Sam Leavitt, who led the Sun Devils to an 11-3 record in 2024, including a victory over Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship. Leavitt passed for 2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2024 while adding 443 yards and five scores on the ground. Leavitt was poised to take the next step in his development in 2025, but was riddled with injuries. Despite the injuries, he still led the Sun Devils to a 5-2 record in games he started, passing for 1,628 yards and 10 touchdowns while adding 306 yards and five touchdowns. LSU was aggressive in its pursuit of Leavitt in the transfer portal, and the Tigers hope his lingering foot issue won't be a hindrance in 2026.

LSU has the fourth-best odds of the SEC teams to win the national championship at +2000 in its first season under new head coach Lane Kiffin.

Byrum Brown - Auburn

Auburn has made yet another head coaching change, and with it, the Crimson Tide will face a familiar foe at quarterback in Byrum Brown, who has notched two career starts against Alabama during his time at USF. Brown is coming off his best season in 2025, passing for 3,158 yards and 28 touchdowns while rushing for 1,008 yards and 14 scores, leading USF to a 9-3 record last season.

While Auburn may not have great odds to win the national championship (+10000), Brown has caused headaches for SEC teams in the past, including Alabama, and the Tigers feel like a program finally on an upswing after several quarterbacks have taken the reins over the last two seasons.

LaNorris Sellers - South Carolina

South Carolina is becoming a familiar opponent to the Crimson Tide after Alabama played them in 2024 and 2025, escaping with one-score victories in each contest. LaNorris Sellers was the catalyst for the Gamecocks having chances to win in both those games, tossing a touchdown to Nyck Harbor in the final seconds to cut the deficit to two points late in 2024, and rushing for a 10-yard score to take a 22-14 lead over the Crimson Tide with 10 minutes left in the contest in 2025.

Unfortunately for South Carolina, Sellers was also the catalyst for South Carolina losing both games, throwing an interception to Domani Jackson as the clock expired in 2024, and fumbling in field-goal territory inside of two minutes, leading to Alabama's game-winning touchdown with 34 seconds left in Columbia. His best season was 2024, when he passed for 2,534 yards and 18 touchdowns while adding 674 yards and seven touchdowns. 2025 saw a bit of a slump, with 2,437 yards and 13 touchdowns through the air, and 270 yards and five scores on the ground. 2026 is likely his final season of college football as a redshirt junior, and if he can put everything together, South Carolina should be formidable for every opponent they line up against.

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_.