Football season has officially wound down in Tuscaloosa with just one game left to go in the ReliaQuest Bowl against the Michigan Wolverines on New Year’s Eve.

While things did not go according to plan on the gridiron in Tuscaloosa this season, the good news is that Tide Hoops head coach Nate Oats has established a program that gives fans not just an exciting team to watch as they look forward to next fall with a long winter ahead, but a team that is a legitimate contender year in and year out.

Coming off their first-ever Final Four appearance in school history after a rough finish to the regular season and a spectacular run in March, Oats was able to upgrade the roster and put together a team on paper that looked to have the makings of one of the best in the country.

With much of the same core returning, including Mark Sears and Grant Nelson, Oats made exciting additions that have already been key contributors, such as freshmen Labaron Philon and Derrion Reid and Auburn transfer Aden Holloway.

Thus far, while they have yet to reach their ceiling, the Tide has looked like a team that can make another deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

Sitting at 10-2 and ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll, Alabama earned marquee wins over Houston, Illinois, and North Carolina en route to the 10 wins ahead of conference play. With their only two losses coming on the road against Purdue as well as a neutral site game against No. 9 Oregon, it has been a solid start against a brutal non-conference schedule.

The Tide is off during Christmas week and will play one more non-conference game on Sunday, Dec. 29, against South Dakota State before conference play begins on Saturday, Jan. 4, with a home game against No. 12 Oklahoma.

Stay tuned, Alabama fans. It could be yet another special basketball season in T-town.