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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Do not let the disparity in the rankings fool you. Alabama # 1 is not about to sink into the Ole Miss unrated Saturday (at 7 pm ET, ESPN). Regardless of the recent history of the teams and especially how these rebels have put points in recent times.
Hugh Freeze might be gone and the ripped pole of this epic 2014 game could be scattered around Oxford, Mississippi, but all that remains is the same high-flying game installed by the US. coach Matt Luke and the offensive coordinator. Phil Longo has taken another level.
Jordan Ta 'amu is the best quarterback you've probably never heard of, with 18 touchdowns and four steals in seven career starts. And if you do not know A.J. Brown now, then you probably do not follow the NFL draft rankings, which project the 6-foot-1, 230-pound physical target as perhaps the best receiver available.
But it's not only Brown, whose 14 receptions since the start of last season have been ranked second among all Power 5 players. His colleagues, DaMarkus Lodge and D.K. Metcalf, are also problems. Since the start of last season, the trio has had almost three times more receptions (30) than Alabama allowed (11).
If Alabama repeats itself as a national champion, if it has the kind of defense we expect from coach Nick Saban, then this game will tell us a lot.
Now, that's where you could ask in disbelief, "but what about last season when Alabama dominated Ole Miss, 66-3?"
It would be a good point if he was missing absolutely nothing. Because Luke was only in his fifth match as Acting Head Coach at the time, Ta 'Amu was the Shea Patterson and the game were in Tuscaloosa. Oh, and Minkah Fitzpatrick, Mr. Everything in Alabama, a defender of the All-World, was still patrolling high school.
Now, not only is Fitzpatrick gone, but the four high school starters from last season have also left. The same goes for his two best reserves, Hootie Jones and Tony Brown.
It's still a talented defense in Alabama. Nobody denies it. But his inexperience is undeniable, with only two players (defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs and linebacker Anfernee Jennings) who started at least half of last season's games.
What's more, the defense has already been bitten by the injury penalty, possibly losing its best pass passer, linebacker outside, linebacker Terrell Lewis, to a torn ACL over the summer. Halfway through the camp, it was announced that Chris Allen – another sophomore off the linebacker – was probably lost for the season with a knee injury.
The attrition did not manifest in the unbalanced wins on Louisville and Arkansas State, of course, but these games were essentially tweaks. As Saban said on Monday, "the real season is really starting now."
"With the upcoming SEC game, we have received a few giveaways in the first two games, and I do not think that will happen."
Saban talks about missed tackles, missed homework and missed opportunities. The stats book did not reflect it, but there were some sloppy covers in Saturday's win over Arkansas State. And the pass has been good (five bags) but not great (LSU and Auburn have nine bags each).
Do the same against Ole Miss, who has scored the second highest score (123) of any Power 5 team this season, and Taamu and those receivers will charge you.
"These are three guys of NFL caliber," Alabama safety Deionte Thompson talked about the Rebs receptors. "They can extend the pack at any time and they have a good quarter to do with this trio, so we will have to be prepared for that."
From linebacker Dylan Moses, who was first and foremost a team player at the last meeting of these teams, he did not say anything about it.
"I have the impression that they are doing everything right," he said. "They have an explosive attack, their quarterback has an excellent arm on him, they have two very good U-turns, the offensive line is very good, they protect their quarterback.
"They have a lot of greatness, they could potentially beat us, they could really beat us if we do not manage our stuff."
That said, Alabama is probably not in danger of losing. Ole Miss can certainly score with the best of them, but conversely, he can not stop anyone, as evidenced by the 41 points that allowed Southern Illinois last weekend. In other words: Las Vegas sports bets prefer the Tide by three touchdowns for a reason.
But for a young defense with so many questions remaining, this game could provide an opportunity for real answers.
"It will be a great test for us," said Moses.
Inspiring from their coach, the defensive players are satisfied, but not satisfied with their progress.
Thompson, aware of the challenges ahead, has expressed confidence in the high school. He said he and his new high school buddies – Shyheim Carter, Trevon Diggs, Xavier McKinney, and Saivion Smith – needed to "ramp up" and "play the norm."
But this norm is certainly high under Saban.
Defensive line player Quinnen Williams described it as "the Bama way". And playing at this level meant focusing on the task at hand and determining the mistakes of the past, he said.
But when asked how long it took to become this caliber of defense, Williams could not determine the exact time.
"I really do not know," said Williams. "[It takes] everyone buys and everyone creates the attitude and everyone does everything he can do. It may be like this week, but it can be the league game or the last game of the season. You really do not know. Everyone is at different times and at different times. "
The only thing that is certain at the moment is that they are not there yet.
But back in Oxford, where Alabama is 1-1 and conceded 66 points in total in their last two visits, would be a great opportunity to kick off the process. Against this quarterback and receivers, this could be a strategy game for a defense that still has a lot to prove.
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