The No. 14 Missouri Tigers (5-0, 1-0 SEC) are back in action after their bye week looking for their first “statement” win of the season as they host No. 8 Alabama (4-1, 2-0 SEC).
Kick-off on Saturday is
set for 11:00 a.m. CST on ABC with Joe Tessitore (pxp), Jesse Palmer (analyst), and Katie George (sideline reporter) on the call with SEC Network’s “SEC Nation” pre-game show in COMO prior to the game.
To get you ready for Saturday’s matchup, we talked it over with Brent Taylor from Bama’s SB Nation site Roll Bama Roll.
Here’s the Q&A to get you ready.
Sammy Stava: After the season-opening loss to Florida State, Alabama might be “back” after their statement win on the road over Georgia to end the Bulldogs’ 33-game home win streak. What is the expectation the rest of the way for Kalen DeBoer’s Crimson Tide after back-to-back ranked wins over UGA and Vandy?
Brent Taylor: I mean, the expectation is, as always, that losses are not acceptable. They’ll happen, of course, but if Alabama isn’t in the thick of the national discussion each and every year, this spoiled fan base is going to get real angry, real quick. They were already foaming at the mouth after 4 losses a year ago, and a loss to FSU to open the season had everyone in a fever pitch. We’ve mostly backed off the ledge now… But we’ll see how things go. For what it’s worth, DeBoer has consistently proven he can win big games. He’s undefeated against Kirby Smart, Steve Sarkisian, and Dan Lanning, and when the Tide is playing top teams, they play up to. The problem a year ago is that they also played terribly against some very not good teams. How the team comes into this game against Missouri will be an interesting one. The Tigers are a top 12 team in the country…. But they also follow a really high emotion back-to-back weeks with Georgia and then a Vanderbilt revenge game (*gags* that just sounds wrong). Can Alabama maintain the intensity for three straight weeks of undefeated SEC opponents? It’s a huge test, that’s for sure.
SS: Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is off to a great start this season throwing 13 touchdowns and just one interception through their first five games. What impresses you the most about Crimson Tide’s QB1?
BT: There’s been a decent contingent of Bama fans who have wanted Simpson to start for the past three seasons. I waffled, but generally threw my support behind Jalen Milroe up until the end of last season. I always had some concerns that Ty was a guy who held the ball a bit too long and took some bad sacks, but also had a good bit of optimism. What he’s done so far this season has surpassed pretty much any and all expectations. He’s absolutely slinging the ball, and it’s all pro-level stuff. I think Alabama’s only had one pass play this season where a screen pass broke for a big touchdown – instead, Ty is just carving up opposing defenses with 15-20 yard digs, posts, and outs, and he’s eviscerated anyone that tries to run cover-2 with sideline hole shots. He’s not just making the throws, either, he’s looking off safeties and making split second decisions at warp speed to attack coverages.
He’s really only shown two flaws thus far: for one, he does still take some sacks he shouldn’t. You’ll live with a few because he also makes some plays on the scramble drill, but that’s got to get cleaned up a little. And two, he’s not really connected on a pure deep bomb yet this season.
SS: Besides Simpson, who are some other players to watch on Alabama’s offense? Who has made the biggest impact on the defensive side of the ball thus far?
BT: Definitely watch wide receiver Germie Bernard and TE Josh Cuevas. These two guys were transfers from Washington a year ago, and they’re both Simpson’s main security blankets. When things are on the line, he’s going to one of those two. Cuevas gets almost no media attention, but everytime he makes a catch, he breaks a tackle and gets 5+ more yards than he should.
Defensively, I would probably go with safety Bray Hubbard. He’s been lights out after getting criticized in week 1 and will fly in from off screen like a missile to take on runners at the edge.
SS: What is the biggest strength of this Alabama team? What is their biggest weakness?
BT: The receivers were the group I said coming into the season were the strongest position group of the team. And while that’s remained true, Ty Simpson’s emergence has been stratospheric. So lets just go with the passing game as a whole.
The weakest group is the defensive line. Alabama has struggled to get much pass rush, and the run defense just keeps blowing open gaps. The defensive tackles, Tim Keenan and James Smith, can do some good work, but the front as a whole just can’t seem to get the defensive line and the linebackers on the same page for covering gaps. Plus, Alabama’s linebackers, Deontae Lawson and Justin Jefferson, have had some issues with getting overpowered by blockers in their face.
SS: Alabama comes in as a 3.5-point favorite in this one. How do you see this game playing out on Saturday? Have a final score prediction?
BT: I think neither team gets a whole lot of defensive stops, but it’ll also be somewhat low scoring due to both offenses chewing up so much clock. It’ll feel like a barn burner, but end up like 33-27 or something like that. The last two weeks have given me enough confidence to predict Alabama, I think, but week 1 Bama still probably lurks in there somewhere. And a rushing offense as dangerous as Missouri’s gives me nightmares.
Thank you to Brent for the conversation. Follow him and the Roll Bama Roll account on Twitter (X) for all things Crimson Tide coverage leading up to Saturday’s game.
