Alabama's quest for a first national in three years begins in Missouri on Saturday as the SEC makes its long-awaited return after a two-week delay due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The bookmakers' favorite to win the SEC title, the Crimson Tide enters the season as the No. 2-ranked team in the AP Top 25 Poll behind only Clemson after finishing eighth in the polls last season, its lowest ranking in a decade.
Here's all you need to know ahead of Saturday.
- Kickoff time—Missouri hosts Alabama at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Missouri. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 26.
- TV channel—ESPN
- Live stream—ESPN's digital platforms, fuboTV and SlingTV.
- Odds—Alabama is a 27.5-point favorite with FanDuel and 9/10 to cover the spread, while the over/under line in terms of total points scored is set at 53. In moneyline terms, the Bulldogs are a 1/50 favorite and the Tigers are a 13/1 underdog.
- Series history—Alabama leads the all-time series 4-2.
Alabama may have missed the College Football Playoff (CFP) last season for the first time after five consecutive appearances since the tournament's inception, but suggesting Nick Saban's dynasty in Tuscaloosa may be coming to an end still seems incredibly premature. Alabama lost star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to a season-ending injury in November last year—by then he had already been sidelined for two weeks with a different injury—and came up against a generational offense in LSU and the three-point loss to Auburn in the Iron Bowl—which ultimately ended the Tide's hopes of reaching the CFP—came after two pick-sixes and a 30-yard missed field goal.
In other words, there are legitimate reasons to expect Alabama to bounce back this year, and not just because the last time Alabama lost two games in the same season in 2010 they won back-to-back national titles in the following two seasons.
Tagovailoa and star wideouts Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy have left for the NFL, but the likes of running back Najee Harris and wide receivers DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle ensure Alabama's offense, in which Mac Jones will replace Tagovailoa under center, remains stacked with talent.
On the defensive side of the ball, Alabama has lost four of last year's top five defensive backs but the defensive line remains one of the best in the nation and the Tide has an abundance of riches at cornerbacks.
Missouri, meanwhile, is one of four SEC programs along with Ole Miss, Arkansas and Mississippi State to begin the season with a new head coach after Eliah Drinkwitz replaced Barry Odom, who guided the Tigers to a 25-25 record and two Bowl Games in four seasons in Columbia. Drinkwitz's tenure got off to a promising start as he beat Alabama to recruit cornerback Ennis Rakestraw in February and, according to ESPN estimates, his first full recruiting class could be the school's best in five years.
Drinkwitz retained some of Odom's defensive assistants and while only one of the Tigers' three top cornerbacks from last season returns this season, defensive coordinator Ryan Walter should have enough talent to work with. On the other side of the ball, Drinkwitz will have to choose between redshirt freshman Connor Bazelak and TCU transfer Shawn Robinson at quarterback, while the running game should be solid thanks to running back duo Tyler Badie and Larry Rountree III.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Dan Cancian is currently a reporter for Newsweek based in London, England. Prior to joining Newsweek in January 2018, he ... Read more
