Top Five Running Backs Alabama Will Face During 2026 Season

The SEC boasts some of the top rushing attacks in the country, with arguably the top three backs in the country residing in the Southeast, with Ahmad Hardy at Missouri, Kewan Lacy at Ole Miss, and Jadan Baugh at Florida. However, none of those three are on Alabama's schedule for the 2026 season. With the Crimson Tide slated to face a myriad of talented teams in 2026, who are the top running backs on Alabama's schedule this season?

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Nate Frazier - Georgia Bulldogs

Frazier is the top returning back in Athens after rushing for 947 yards and six scores for Georgia last season while splitting significant carries with his backfield partner, Chauncey Bowens, and quarterback Gunner Stockton. With an average of 5.5 yards per carry, Frazier has a chance to escalate into the upper echelon of running backs this season after seemingly addressing a concerning fumbling issue last season. Game-breaking speed and bruising power are staples of his game. In two matchups against the Tide last season, Frazier rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries, averaging 4.8 yards per attempt.

Jeremiah Cobb - Auburn Tigers

Auburn will have a new look in 2026 after hiring Alex Golesh, but a familiar face returns in the backfield with running back Jeremiah Cobb. Cobb took advantage of opportunities last season after not starting as Auburn's top running back, ending the year with 969 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. His top performance for the Tigers last season came in Auburn's 33-24 victory over Arkansas, where he rushed for 153 yards on the day against the Razorbacks. The Montgomery, Alabama, native ran for 33 yards and a touchdown against the Crimson Tide last season, but with Auburn playing from behind for most of the contest, he didn't see many opportunities to tote the rock.

DeSean Bishop - Tennessee Volunteers

Bishop returns as the Volunteers' top rusher from last season and the fourth-leading rusher in the conference as one of five players to have a 1,000-yard season on the ground in the SEC. He finished the year with 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns, averaging 5.9 yards per carry. He exploded for Tennessee in the second half of the season, with three 100-yard+ performances after the calendar turned to October. His top performance last season came in Tennessee's 34-31 win over Arkansas, where he ran for 146 yards and a score, averaging 10.4 yards per carry against the Razorbacks. His second-best performance came a week later against Alabama, where he rushed for 123 yards and two scores against the Crimson Tide in a 37-20 loss in Tuscaloosa. He had six performances last year with multiple rushing touchdowns.

Fluff Bothwell - Mississippi State Bulldogs

Bothwell started his playing career at South Alabama, where he ran for 832 yards and 13 touchdowns with the Jaguars. After entering the transfer portal, he landed at Mississippi State, where he took over as the leading tailback in Starkville. His promising season was cut short due to an injury in Mississippi State's 31-9 loss to Texas A&M, where he missed just under a month. Before that, however, he showcased back-to-back 100-yard performances against NIU and Tennessee, rushing for 235 yards and two touchdowns combined against the Huskies and the Volunteers. Despite missing significant time, he still finished last season as the SEC's 12th-highest rusher with 677 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 4.8 yards per carry.

Chauncey Bowens - Georgia Bulldogs

The other half of the 1-2 punch at running back for Georgia, Chauncey Bowens, would likely be one of the top backs in the country if he played for any other team, but Georgia somehow kept both him and Frazier to form, potentially, the most lethal rushing attack in the SEC next season. Last year as a redshirt freshman, he rushed for 526 yards and six touchdowns on just 103 carries. He was one of three Bulldogs with over 100 carries last season.

His lone 100-yard performance last season came against the Crimson Tide in Athens, where he toted the rock for 119 yards and a touchdown in Georgia's three-point loss to Alabama at home, averaging 9.9 yards per carry. Entering year three under offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, Bowens should be ready to take the next step and cause headaches for opposing defensive coordinators.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.