Week 11’s matchup featuring the Alabama Crimson Tide and the LSU Tigers is more important than just a win or loss.
Make no mistake, this upcoming game is crucial for the Tide and their aspirations to not just win the SEC, but make the College Football Playoffs.
Advertisement
But it’s also important because of the recruits that Alabama is hosting.
Over the past few weeks, head coach Kalen DeBoer and his staff have hosted plenty of recruits that are either committed to the Tide, or are thinking about giving them their commitments.
From the looks of it, barring any unexpected moves, the 2026 class seems set, but there’s one recruit that the Tide just won’t give up on. Wide receiver and Michigan State commit Samson Gash.
Earlier last month, we covered Gash and the type of player he is, what he can bring, and how he had a visit set for Tuscaloosa on November 8.
There just seems to be something special about him, with blazing speed that can power a neighborhood in a blackout, solid hands and terrific body control.
Vice President of Recruiting and Transfers of On3 / Rivals Steve Wiltfong seems to be bullish on where Alabama is trending for Gash’s services, especially given how poorly Michigan State is doing.
Advertisement
Gash told Wiltfong, “Just the history at Alabama and what it means to play at a school like that … Coach DeBoer is a great coach and has won everywhere he has been and everyone has confidence that he will get it done.”
Alabama currently has the sixth ranked recruiting class in 2026.
This is also a particularly important visit for 2027 five-star quarterback Elijah Haven.
Haven had initially visited Alabama last month during the Tennessee game, and was overjoyed with how that went, that he needed to come see it one more time against a rival.
“Alabama is the standard in College Football, they call it Title Town for a reason,” his father Kwame told Wiltfong. “Elijah would be very fortunate to play at a program like that for coaches as good as the guys on staff there. Elijah’s goal is to play in the NFL there is no bigger stage than Alabama to get him ready to play on Sundays.”
After Haven’s visit, the Crimson Tide had also received a commitment from a 2027 four star quarterback in Trent Seaborn. But Seaborn’s commitment hasn’t deterred the Tide from still pursuing Haven.
Advertisement
Outside of those two, there are several other 2027 recruits coming into town, including the number-one EDGE rusher in the class, Zyron Forstall, as well as the third-ranked EDGE Anthony Sweeney.
So yes, while the game on the field holds several implications, the game off the field holds the implications for the future of the program, and DeBoer has shown that he won’t be overtaken by anyone on the trail.
