# Brian Kelly Names Alabama Powerhouse Flying Under Radar

> Brian Kelly highlights Alabama's physical dominance as a college football team overlooked after two weeks.
- Title: Brian Kelly Names Alabama Powerhouse Flying Under Radar
- Summary: Brian Kelly highlights Alabama's physical dominance as a college football team overlooked after two weeks. Brian Kelly says Alabama's physicality in wins…
- Keywords: brian kelly, alabama crimson tide, college football, college football playoff, kentucky, preseason ap poll, alabama defense, alabama offense, byu cougars, big 12 conference, miami, notre dame
- Source: CFB-HQ On SI — https://si.com/fannation/college/cfb-hq/news/brian-kelly-names-college-football-powerhouse-flying-under-radar
- Published: 2026-09-16T16:25:13+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: brian kelly, alabama crimson tide, college football, college football playoff, kentucky, preseason ap poll, alabama defense, alabama offense, byu cougars, big 12 conference, miami, notre dame
## Week 1 and 2 results
LSU dominated Clemson 51-10 in Week 1, Texas knocked off No. 1 Ohio State 24-23 after trailing 20 points.
## Alabama's overlooked status
Alabama was No. 13 in preseason AP poll but not generally a team getting overlooked.
## Kelly's analysis
Brian Kelly said Alabama showed physicality on both sides of the ball in their win over Kentucky.

> They played great in the second half, "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."
## Alabama's offensive struggles
Alabama was abnormally unproductive on the ground in 2025 and lacked proven wide receiver options beyond Ryan Coleman-Williams.
## Alabama's defensive strength
Alabama generated consistent pressure, stifled opponents for 185 yards per game, and scored touchdowns against East Carolina and Kentucky.
## Kentucky game issues
Alabama didn't lead until late in the third quarter, threw two costly interceptions in first half, and was ineffective running the football.
## Other teams flying under radar
Notre Dame, Indiana, Miami, and BYU are teams flying under radar after two weeks of the season.
## BYU's conference impact
BYU quietly put together a strong team in the offseason and beat Arizona, impacting Big 12 championship race.
## Key takeaway

Brian Kelly says Alabama's physicality in wins over Kentucky shows potential despite being overlooked in early polls.