[ad_1]
No. 2 Alabama (2-0) vs. South Carolina (1-1)
When: 14:30 CT, Saturday
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, SC
TV: CBS
Line: Alabama -25.5
This game will determine …
If one of the weaknesses revealed by Alabama in his first two games was a concern for the SEC game. Alabama dominated Duke and New Mexico State, 104-13, but played away from perfect football. "I think it's going to be important to learn to concentrate for 60 minutes and play a full game," Nick Saban said Wednesday. Alabama has beaten his country to three-on-two in the New Mexico State, but still dominates the scoreboard due to his superior talent. This task will be more difficult facing an opponent of the conference in a real road environment.
Three things to look for …
1. Can the offensive line be installed? The Bama front line has undergone a radical change early in the season due to the injuries inflicted on Chris Owens and Emil Ekiyor. The two men missed last Saturday's win over New Mexico, forcing Landon Dickerson to slide to center. The reshuffle has sometimes had an effect on the running game, with Alabama totaling 10 runs of less than three meters in short distance situations against the Aggies. South Carolina's notes for its match against Alabama describe the Gamecocks as having "easily the best defensive front in depth and talent gathered in South Carolina since the days of Jadeveon Clowney and the company that wreaked havoc in all the SEC ".
2. Will Alabama find non-traditional ways to run? Tua Tagovailoa played a friendly this week at the official mark of his 75-yard pass to Henry Ruggs III to open last Saturday's game with a touchdown. While Tagovailoa certainly wanted to know the pass statistics, the game was marked as a race and showed how offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian can manage to give the ball to his athlete receivers, be it assists or not. The final games and the game on the screen involving Ruggs, Jerry Jeudy and Jaylen Waddle could be an effective substitute if the background can not move the ball.
3. Can Reichard keep his confidence on the road? The rookie kicker gained the confidence of his teammates when he converted his 48- and 49-yard goals in Saturday's home win. The kicks aroused loud applause among the crowd at the Bryant-Denny stadium, which had become agitated as a result of past misfortunes. The next test for Reichard will take place on a SEC stage, starting Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium. Saban said on Wednesday that he had not yet decided whether Reichard or Skyler DeLong would give the paddle a hand, but Saban pointed to the strength of the South Carolina special teams' units.
Key Match
The wide receivers of Alabama against the cornerbacks of South Carolina. Alabama can boast the country's best receiver depth map and includes two possible first-round picks, Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III. The Gamecocks are young in the corner, with a pair of sophomores (Jaycee Horn and Israel Mukuamu) expected to start with a freshman, Jammie Robinson, in the slot.
In numbers
4.64 – Alabama's top three runners-up in terms of staves (Najee Harris, Brian Robinson Jr. and Jerome Ford) have an average of 4.64 yards per run, the worst score of a Bama trio in the first two games of any season of the Saban period. .
South Carolina player watching
Ryan Hilinski, quarterback. The Gamecocks have lost quarterback Jake Bentley for the season due to a foot injury suffered in the last game of a loss to North Carolina earlier this season. That forced Hilinski, a real rookie in the starting lineup last week against Charleston Southern. He racked up 282 yards and two touchdowns, scoring three-quarters of a 62-point eruption, but now faces the country's No. 2 team on his second career start. All eyes will be on Hilinski against Nick Saban's defense.
[ad_2]
Source link