Not every win is pretty, and Saturday’s sure wasn’t as the Alabama Crimson Tide used a late fourth-quarter flurry to pull away from the USF Bulls 42-16. The Alabama offensive line struggled all evening long, but OT Elijah Pritchett came into the lineup in the fourth quarter and he was the difference maker as Alabama scored touchdowns on their final four possessions.
It was the second straight year the Crimson Tide have mightily struggled with the Bulls. And the worst part about it is they play again in 2026.
The Crimson Tide’s task will be much tougher next week as they travel to Madison, WI to take on the 2-0 Badgers. Fortunately, the offensive line is supposed to be back at full health with Pritchett and Kadyn Proctor recovering from minor injuries.
Even though Alabama didn’t look amazing in Week 2, they remained ranked No. 4 in the country in the US LBM Coaches Poll behind only Georgia, Ohio State and Texas. The Crimson Tide and No. 1 ranked Bulldogs will be squaring off later this month in Tuscaloosa, AL.
Week 2 US LBM Coaches Poll
| Ranking | Team | Record | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgia Bulldogs | 2-0 | 1,346 (50) |
| 2 | Ohio State Buckeyes | 2-0 | 1,281 (3) |
| 3 | Texas Longhorns | 2-0 | 1,259 (1) |
| 4 | Alabama Crimson Tide | 2-0 | 1,157 |
| 5 | Ole Miss Rebels | 2-0 | 1,136 |
| 6 | Oregon Ducks | 2-0 | 987 |
| 7 | Penn State Nittany Lions | 2-0 | 956 |
| 8 | Missouri Tigers | 2-0 | 955 |
| 9 | Tennessee Volunteers | 2-0 | 930 |
| 10 | Utah Utes | 2-0 | 871 |
| 11 | USC Trojans | 2-0 | 803 |
| 12 | Miami Hurricanes | 2-0 | 798 |
| 13 | Oklahoma Sooners | 2-0 | 700 |
| 14 | Oklahoma State Cowboys | 2-0 | 588 |
| 15 | Kansas State Wildcats | 2-0 | 578 |
| 16 | Michigan Wolverines | 1-1 | 501 |
| 17 | LSU Tigers | 1-1 | 410 |
| 18 | Arizona Wildcats | 2-0 | 399 |
| 19 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 1-1 | 388 |
| 20 | Clemson Tigers | 1-1 | 326 |
| 21 | Louisville Cardinals | 2-0 | 288 |
| 22 | Washington Huskies | 2-0 | 176 |
| 23 | Iowa State Cyclones | 2-0 | 157 |
| 24 | Nebraska Cornhuskers | 2-0 | 91 |
| 25 | Memphis Tigers | 2-0 | 85 |
Schools Dropped Out
No. 20 Kansas; No. 21 Iowa; No. 23 North Carolina State
Others Receiving Votes:
Texas A&M 68; Boston College 36; Syracuse 33; Illinois 33; Northern Illinois 30; Wisconsin 28; South Carolina 25; UNLV 19; Boise State 18; Iowa 17; Kansas 10; North Carolina State 9; UCF 7; Texas State 7; TCU 6; North Carolina 5; California 5; Liberty 4; Pittsburgh 2; Michigan State 2; BYU 2; Tulane 1; James Madison 1; Indiana 1