Josh Pate, one of the go-to voices in college football, finally gave in to fan pressure on his Sunday night show and dropped his post-spring Top 10 rankings — and let’s just say, they’ve got people talking.
The list had a few curveballs, but Alabama fans will be happy. After visiting Tuscaloosa recently and coming away impressed, Pate gave Bama the No. 4 spot. That puts them behind Clemson, Texas, and Penn State — yeah, Penn State.
Seeing Clemson and Penn State in the Top 3 might raise eyebrows, but both schools have been getting offseason love and have veteran QBs returning. Trusting a James Franklin team that much? Bold move.
Now for the real surprises: Florida at No. 9 and Oklahoma at No. 10. Most wouldn’t put those two that high, but Pate sees potential. Both programs have buzz as possible breakout teams in the SEC. Florida’s DJ Lagway is being hyped as one of the top QBs in the country, and Oklahoma brought in John Mateer from Washington State, which could be a game-changer.
But the biggest shocker? Georgia’s not even on the list. That’s right — no Bulldogs in the Top 10.
As for Alabama, they’re not getting a ton of preseason love from most experts after going 9-4 last season under new coach Kalen DeBoer. But don’t sleep on them — the talent is stacked across the board. The only real question is at quarterback.
Ty Simpson is expected to start, but with a 5-star like Keelon Russell behind him, don’t expect the staff to wait long if things don’t click. If Simpson — or Russell, or even Austin Mack — can just be solid, Bama could absolutely make a run at the national title.
Post-Spring Chaos: Josh Pate’s Rankings Put Alabama Right Where They Want to Be
