Can Alabama football overcome one of the youngest offenses in the country and compete for the 2026 SEC Championship?
On this episode of Last Call, former Alabama national championship quarterback Jake Coker joins Mick Gillispie at The Next Round studios to break down the biggest storylines surrounding the 2026 SEC football season.
The guys examine BetMGM’s SEC Championship odds, with Texas and Georgia listed as the favorites ahead of LSU, Alabama, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Is Alabama being overlooked at +850, or are the Crimson Tide’s 8.5-win projection and inexperienced offense legitimate reasons for concern?
Jake and Mick also evaluate Alabama’s quarterback competition between Austin Mack and Keelon Russell. Mack has valuable experience in Kalen DeBoer’s system, but Russell possesses the explosive talent and playmaking ability that could completely change the Crimson Tide offense. Who should be Alabama’s QB1, and could Russell become a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender?
The conversation also covers:
🏈 Alabama’s young and inexperienced offensive roster
🏈 Austin Mack vs. Keelon Russell
🏈 Alabama’s 2026 SEC Championship chances
🏈 Arch Manning, CJ Carr and the Heisman Trophy race
🏈 What Lamar Jackson and Cam Newton teach us about Heisman winners
🏈 Lane Kiffin leaving Ole Miss for LSU
🏈 LSU’s highly anticipated return to Oxford
🏈 The SEC’s new nine-game conference schedule
🏈 The conference’s national championship drought
🏈 Big Ten NIL spending and its impact on SEC recruiting
🏈 The biggest storylines entering SEC Media Days in Tampa
Has the balance of power shifted away from the SEC after national championships by Michigan, Ohio State and Indiana? Or will Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas or another contender bring the trophy back to the conference in 2026?
Let us know your SEC champion, Heisman Trophy pick and Alabama starting quarterback in the comments.
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