Brian Kelly Names College Football Powerhouse Flying Under-the Radar After Week 2

Brian Kelly believes this college football program is under discussed through two weeks of the 2026 season.

Brian Kelly, left, arrives at the funeral service for former Notre Dame football head coach Lou Holtz at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame on Monday, March 16, 2026, in South Bend. Holtz died on March 4, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Precious few college football programs had moments in the sun in the first two weeks of the season.

LSU dominated Clemson in a 51-10 blowout in Week 1, and Texas stormed back from 20 points down to knock off No. 1 Ohio State 24-23 last week. While both the Tigers and Longhorns still have some imperfections, these results will hold weight in College Football Playoff discussions in the coming months.

However, many teams don't receive proper attention on the national stage until much later into the season. Former head coach and CBS college football analyst Brian Kelly said that Alabama is one of those teams, highlighting its physical nature in the win over Kentucky.

"They played great in the second half," Kelly said. "The physicality wore out in that game, although Kentucky has some energy and I certainly think Will Stein's going to do a great job there. Alabama kind of showed me something with their physicality on both sides of the ball."

Why is Alabama being overlooked?

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Keelon Russell (12) yells at Alabama Crimson Tide tight end Kaleb Edwards (81) during a moment of confusion while playing Kentucky Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026 in Lexington, Kentucky. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Crimson Tide was the No. 13 team in the preseason AP poll, not generally a rank indicative of a team getting overlooked.

However, there were questions beyond quarterback about the offense heading into the season. Alabama was abnormally unproductive on the ground in 2025, and it lacked proven options at wide receiver beyond Ryan Coleman-Williams.

The offense is still looking for answers, but the defense looks as good as it was advertised through the first two weeks. The Crimson Tide generated consistent pressure, stifled opposing offenses for an average of 185 yards per game and scored a pair of touchdowns in its victories over East Carolina and Kentucky.

The crux of the overlooking stems from a slow start at Kentucky. While the final score reads 45-17, the Crimson Tide didn't lead until late in the third quarter; it was ineffective running the football until it took the lead, and Keelon Russell threw a pair of costly interceptions in the first half to put Alabama in early holes.

Who else is flying under the radar after two weeks?

Sep 12, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; BYU Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) looks to pass as Arizona Wildcats linebacker Max Harris (5) applies pressure during the second half at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Some of the highest ranked teams in the AP poll have been discussed sparingly through the first two weeks of the season. Notre Dame, Indiana and Miami are all off to dominant starts, and while most in the college football world acknowledge them as powers, their lack of matchups against strong opponents keeps the conversations about them at a minimum.

BYU is another team flying under the radar, but for a different reason.

Much of the Big 12's preseason discussion surrounded Texas Tech and how it was expected to stay at the top of the conference, but BYU quietly put together a very good team in the offseason. On the note of competition, the Cougars took down Arizona last week in a game that has major implications on the Big 12's conference championship race.