(Above Image Credit: The Daily Texan)
When: Saturday, Sept. 9th, 7:00 PM EST
Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium (Tuscaloosa, AL)
Channel: ESPN (check your listings)
This Saturday night, the Texas Longhorns head to Tuscaloosa to take on their future SEC rivals, the Alabama Crimson Tide.
It’s Not About SEC Supremacy…Yet
This season is Texas’s final season as part of the Big 12 conference. They will be moving to the SEC next year along with their fellow Big 12 rival, Oklahoma.
However, if their matchup last season has taught us anything, it’s that the future Texas vs. Alabama games will be compelling to watch.
Right now, the main focus for both teams is to show the nation they’re worthy of being contenders for the national championship. Texas wants to restore themselves into the dominant team they once were, and Alabama wants to get back onto the top of the college football mountain.
The Short History of Texas vs. Alabama
Both teams have met nine times overall. This Saturday will mark their 10th all-time meeting.
Texas leads the series 7-2 with their only two losses coming from last year and the 2010 BCS National Championship game.
The championship game was dominated by Alabama from the get-go, even after former QB Colt McCoy got injured. In the end, Bama won it all 37-21.
Last season, Alabama was the number one team in the nation. Texas nearly pulled off one of the biggest upsets in history with their 20-19 loss.
During that time, Quinn Ewers was a growing quarterback. He made 9 completions out of 12 for 134 yards and has shown he was made for the game since then. At the same time, Bijan Robinson was still in college racking up his numbers before getting eventually being drafted to the NFL.
Now, this game is the start of a new beginning for all the new players on both sides. It’s also the beginning of a possible new rivalry once Texas fully completes their transition to the SEC.
Final Thoughts and Prediction
Ewers will be returning as starting QB for the Longhorns, and Bama QB Jalen Milroe will face his toughest challenge to date when he starts for his team.
The nation will be seeing some new and familiar faces in this game. Texas running back CJ Baxter had a good opening before going down with an injury. He practiced this week and could be set to play. They will also have some assistance from their own Xavier Worthy, one of the Big 12’s best wide receivers.
Alabama running backs Jace McClellan and Roydell Williams will be alongside new and younger running backs. Star cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry will be on deck in Bama’s defense. Defensive backs Malachi Moore and Jaylen Key are questionable due to injuries.
I was one of the many fans last year who witnessed the near-upset for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Texas is proving to be one of the few teams that can outsmart Bama’s plays. I guess I can blame Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian for that. He was one of Nick Saban’s former assistant coaches, so he learned from the best.
This game could go in either direction. Both are tough, but only the strongest will go all the way. In my honest opinion, the jury’s out on this one.
