Just one week after a big win against Georgia with a stadium full of recruits, Alabama traveled to Nashville and took a historic loss against Vanderbilt Saturday.
A win against a top-5 school like Georgia does not just happen by chance, though, and that win will still be in the back of recruits’ minds. Alabama is not the only powerhouse with a loss; in fact, Texas is now the only remaining undefeated SEC school.
While a loss will certainly not help recruiting, this is not the worst situation for the Crimson Tide. Alabama fans still have good news even after the loss.
Possible fallout
It is unlikely that there will be any fallout with recruits at the moment. However, there is always the possibility of decommitments, as recruits are always being targeted by other schools.
Alabama’s win against Georgia still resonates, and Alabama has proven it is still a powerful force, which is what recruits will look at.
“We know that Bama is the standard, so we know we have to get back to that standard,” Alabama linebacker commit Duke Johnson said. “It happens.”
Caleb Cunningham has been committed to the Crimson Tide since July and is ranked as a top-five wide receiver in the class of 2025. Cunningham has visited Alabama officially and unofficially multiple times, including for the Georgia game.
“If you lose one game, that shouldn’t make you want to decommit or anything like that,” Cunningham said after the loss to Vanderbilt. “It’s still roll tide roll. They’re still going to do their thing, for sure.”
The Vanderbilt game wasn’t like the showdown with Georgia, where many of the recruits were being targeted by or possibly deciding between the two schools. That is why the Crimson Tide’s head-to-head win against the Bulldogs still matters.
Taking a step back from the top of the rankings, Vanderbilt is targeting some of Alabama’s less valued recruits. According to On3, Alabama currently has the No. 2 class, while Vanderbilt is at No. 84.
Good news for Alabama
Even after the loss, Alabama is now trending to flip 3-star tight end Marshall Pritchett, who is currently committed to North Carolina.
Alabama currently holds a commitment from 4-star tight end Kaleb Edwards, but a commitment from Pritchett would add valuable depth.
Alabama is looking for hybrid players and playmakers at this position as two tight ends, seniors CJ Dippre and Robbie Ouzts, will likely leave after this year.
However, because of the position’s inexperience, the staff would still likely attempt to grab a tight end from the portal should one become available.
On Oct. 3, Alabama offered 4-star cornerback Donovan Starr, who is currently committed to Auburn. Starr visited Vanderbilt for the game against Alabama.
Although witnessing the Vanderbilt loss in person could possibly sway his decision, his interest is high. By flipping to Alabama, he’d be at a school with a better track record and still in the same state as the school he is currently committed to, so flipping him is not out the window.
“It’s definitely of high interest,” Starr said after receiving the offer. “I’ll definitely get out there. I know I’ll make it out to one of the games.”
Alabama also hosted the No. 1-ranked cornerback in the class of 2026, Elbert Hill, for the Georgia game. Hill seems to be very interested in Ohio State, having visited seven times so far.
However, it is still very early in the 2026 cycle. Hill’s visit to Tuscaloosa during the Georgia weekend definitely shows interest from both parties, as this is his second visit since June.
“That’s probably one of the top games I’ve ever seen,” Hill said after the visit. “[Alabama using freshmen] is really a good thing. I like to see that because I could see if I was able to go there, I would shine as a young guy.”
Alabama did take a tough loss, but fans shouldn’t expect recruiting to go downhill from here. As long as the Crimson Tide continues to recruit heavily and not take any more tough losses, it is in a good place.
