We are now just 90 days away from the start of the 2025-2026 Alabama basketball season, and the SEC schedule has been finalized.
Last year, we noted that the conference slate was daunting, though hopefully manageable — it wound up being the toughest in the conference en route to the nation’s second-most difficult schedule, with predictable results. The Tide’s legs simply gave out under them as they suffered a late season swoon against ten straight opponents ranked in the Top 25. Alabama coasted into the postseason with a turnaround win against Auburn in the plains, a semifinal appearance in the SECT, and then another Elite Eight appearance. After dropping four of five, wrapping up with six wins in seven contests was a good send-off for the seniors.
But it sure would have been nice to not wobble into March. Judging this year’s slate, that goal may actually be attainable. On paper it is far more forgiving than last season’s grim march through three brutal months.
Let’s take a look, and then discuss
Alabama only faces Kentucky once, at home, to open the season. The league office aren’t dummies. They know that game is a viewing bonanza, and so we kick off the season with serious fireworks. I don’t mind two games a year vs. the ‘Cats, but dodging Rupp is huge.
Alabama has zero games in its personal house of horrors at Fayetteville and CoMo. The Tide will face Mizzou and Arkansas, but they’re both coming to Tuscaloosa.
Alabama finally gets a home game against Tennessee. Since Nate Oats arrived, the Tide has had a road trip to that godforsaken hellmouth five times, and only been granted two home games. But, we shall have more to say on that in moment, however.
The Tide drew the five “worst” teams in the league this year: LSU, South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Texas. One is rebuilding into a guard-led roster (USC), one was decimated by the NBA (Oklahoma), and two are under new management. The OU away game looks to be the only tougher road assignment, with ‘Bama’s other trips going to Baton Rouge and Athens (more on that one in a second).
Hallelujah: No trip to the Reed Center this year. Bucky Ball won’t look like Buzz’s glacial, hack-a-Bammer group by any stretch. But that’s always a crappy road trip in an arena with the all the charm of a leper orgy.
Hallelujah Redux: Just one game against Florida! But…
That game versus Florida? Yeah, it’s on the road. Golden is one of the few coaches who has Nate’s number too: 4-1, with three wins by double digits. And against the Gators overall, he’s 1-5 outside of Tuscaloosa. I have no illusions about this game. If there’s one you circle and say “that’s your beating of the year,” it’s that contest.
Alabama finally gets a home game against Tennessee…but the SEC bookends it with a road trip to Tennessee in the final two weeks of the season, as part of a B2B road trip. Because of course they do.
There are only two back-to-back home stands on here. Meanwhile, ‘Bama draws three back-to-back road trips. And Alabama went 5-5 against these road opponents last year.
Georgia is the final “bad” team in the league, but the Dawgs have punched well above their weight at home. It’s just a night-day kind of team in Stegman. There aren’t many easy trips in the SEC, but at least UGA lost their two best players.
Just one game vs. Beard’s Rebels. And after that ass-kicking last year that’s a good thing. But it’s also a road trip, and let’s hope that this team has learned how to defend intermediate penetration and find the open shooter. It’s already going to be a tough game, and Ole Miss has a lot more talent this year. But this was always going to be a battle.
Memorial High School Gym in Nashville isn’t quite so ferocious these days, and yes, Vandy lost their best player to the Vols. But like Georgia, this team was aces at home last season. We’ll have to see if that holds up.
Two games against Mississippi State. Meh. You have to win these, period. Beats playing another game vs. Florida or a trip to Arkansas.
Home and home vs. Auburn: Salvage a split is the general expectation, ditto Tennessee. They’ll both be two difficult games no matter the venue.
Is it tough? Of course it is. It’s the SEC.
Is it insurmountable? Probably not. Last year, you could look at the schedule and think “seven losses is a top third finish.” This year, seven losses probably puts you closer to the middle of the pack. And, on the whole, it seems a marginally “easier” go for the Tide this time around.
Hope for the best. Roll Tide
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
