I live in Jacksonville, FL now, but on fall Saturdays part of me is still in Tuscaloosa. After four years in the U.S. Marine Corps (2014–2018), I spent my college years at The University of Alabama, earning a degree in operations management and then an accelerated master's. Crimson Tide football was part of the rhythm of life in that town. This is my look at the Tide's 2026 season so far, game days at Bryant-Denny, and the ways Alabama honors people who served. For more on my years there, see my Ryan Gunning in Tuscaloosa page and my recent post, From the Marine Corps to the University of Alabama.
The Crimson Tide's 2026 season so far
Alabama is 5–2 overall and 3–2 in the SEC after seven games, according to the official 2026 schedule and results on RollTide.com. The Tide opened with five wins in a row, then dropped two SEC games in October:
- Sept. 5: East Carolina at home, W 48–10
- Sept. 12: at Kentucky, W 45–17
- Sept. 19: Florida State at home, W 50–36
- Sept. 26: South Carolina at home, W 49–18
- Oct. 3: at Mississippi State, W 56–23
- Oct. 10: Georgia at home, L 17–20
- Oct. 17: at Tennessee, L 10–26
The offense has averaged 39.3 points per game, per Sports-Reference's 2026 Alabama game log. Losing two in a row stings, but if the Marine Corps taught me anything, it's that how a unit responds after a setback says more than the setback itself. There's a lot of football left.
Next up: Homecoming against Texas A&M
The Tide comes home next Saturday, Oct. 24, against Texas A&M at 2:30 p.m. CT (3:30 p.m. ET) at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. It's Homecoming weekend, and Alabama is also recognizing its 2016 SEC championship team, per Alabama Athletics' game-day guide. After an open date, the rest of the regular season runs at LSU on Nov. 7, at Vanderbilt on Nov. 14, Chattanooga at home on Nov. 21, and the Iron Bowl against Auburn in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 28.
Bryant-Denny game days
Every home game this season has drawn a listed crowd of 100,077, according to Alabama's box scores. If you haven't been back in a while, a few things have changed for 2026, per RollTide.com:
- Gates and sections were renumbered. Gates now run clockwise from the Walk of Champions, and sections use three-digit numbers tied to the level. Row and seat numbers didn't change.
- Champions Lane is back outside the northwest gates, opening four hours before kickoff, and its activities are free.
- A veteran-level concessions discount: Yea Alabama veteran-level members get 20 percent off non-alcoholic concessions inside the stadium.
From the operations management side of my brain, moving more than 100,000 people in and out of one stadium on a Saturday is a logistics problem I can respect. Clear gate numbering is the kind of small process fix that makes a big operation run smoother.
Bama Salute: how Alabama honors the military
As a Marine veteran, this is the part of Alabama athletics I'm proudest of. Through its Bama Salute program, Alabama Athletics recognizes active-duty service members and veterans throughout the year:
- Salute of the Game: a service member or veteran is honored at ticketed events, with a recognition before or during the game.
- Pregame flag presentation: at every home football game, the university honors a service member in a flag presentation before the National Anthem, through its Flag Recipient Program.
- Fly a flag over the stadium: people who serve or have served can send an American flag to be flown over Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
- POW/MIA Chair: since November 2017, an empty seat in Section A, Row 59, Seat 1 of the stadium's lower bowl has honored those who have not come home.
Bama Salute is personal for me. In 2024, I was honored at Alabama's Bama Salute military appreciation football game at Bryant-Denny Stadium, and standing in that stadium as a Marine veteran is something I won't forget.
This season's Bama Salute Military Appreciation Day is Saturday, Nov. 21, against Chattanooga at 1 p.m. CT, which is also Senior Day, per the official game center. If you're a veteran anywhere near Tuscaloosa, that's the one I'd circle.
Beyond the stadium: support for student veterans
The game days are fun, but what matters most to veterans is what happens Monday morning. UA's Office of Veteran & Military Affairs in Houser Hall serves more than 4,100 members of the UA community and was recognized as a 2025 Best for Vets college by Military Times. It offers GI Bill counseling, tutoring, study rooms, and an on-campus VA counselor through VetSuccess on Campus. If you're a Marine thinking about Tuscaloosa, start there. I wrote about my own academic path on my Education page, and you can read more about me on my About page.
Roll Tide from Jacksonville
These days I watch from Jacksonville, where I run The Calm Seas Project, but I'm still proud to be a University of Alabama graduate. Whether you're in Bryant-Denny on Saturday or watching from somewhere far from Tuscaloosa, take a minute to thank the veterans around you. Roll Tide.
Ryan Gunning in Tuscaloosa → Marine Corps to Alabama Education About Ryan Gunning
