The Alabama Crimson Tide are coming off a dominant 31-13 win over the LSU Tigers last weekend and have climbed to No. 3 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday.
Now, Alabama will remain on the road to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores this Saturday, with some uncertainty surrounding star quarterback Keelon Russell.
Russell tweaked his ankle during the win over LSU and briefly visited the medical tent before returning to finish the game.
Earlier this week, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said Russell was day-to-day but that the coaching staff would have confidence if they “needed to move to Austin [Mack] at some point.”
DeBoer also noted that Russell would do “everything he can” to play against Vanderbilt.
On Wednesday, the SEC released the first injury reports for this weekend’s matchups, and Alabama officially listed Russell as probable for Saturday’s game. That’s an encouraging sign with a few days still remaining before kickoff.
Alabama vs. Vanderbilt Availability/Injury Report
Keelon Russell is probable
What are your thoughts on Alabama’s availability heading into Saturday’s matchup? https://t.co/6bJ2EU6xIl
— Ryan C. Fowler (@RyanCFowler) November 12, 2026
Russell joins four other players listed as probable, including running back EJ Crowell, offensive lineman William Sanders and defensive backs Zabien Brown and Chuck McDonald III.
It’s been a big year for Russell in his first season as Alabama’s starting quarterback.
He’s burst onto the scene and, through nine games, is completing 67.3% of his passes for 2,263 yards, 18 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He’s also been a dynamic threat with his legs.
Russell has carried the ball 74 times for 276 yards and five touchdowns this season, averaging 3.7 yards per carry and 30.7 yards per game.
The Crimson Tide control their own destiny with just three games remaining in the regular season, all of which they’ll enter as favorites.
After facing Vanderbilt on Saturday, Alabama will take on Chattanooga next week before closing out the regular season with the Iron Bowl against Auburn. As previous matchups have shown, that rivalry game can always go either way.
Nonetheless, Alabama is in a strong position to reach the College Football Playoff. As for the SEC Championship Game, the Crimson Tide still sit behind Tennessee and Georgia, both of whom they’ve lost to this season. To reach the conference championship, Alabama would need at least one of those teams to lose one of its final three games.
Cole Sullivan Cole Sullivan is a sports journalist for Heavy.com covering the NFL, NBA, college football, and college basketball. A member of the United States Basketball Writers Association, he has written for FanSided, Athlon Sports, The Sporting News, and Newsweek. Sullivan earned an Associate degree from Franklin Pierce University and a Bachelor’s degree from Lynn University, where he studied Communications and Media Studies with a focus on Sports Journalism. More about Cole Sullivan
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