Alabama has had 307 days to stew over its lone loss of the 2012 season.
Even though the Crimson Tide went on to win their second consecutive national championship, one team, Texas A&M, can say it beat the Tide.
The hype surrounding today’s “rematch of the century” is in another stratosphere as top-ranked Alabama travels to College Station, Texas, to face No. 6 Texas A&M. The winner has the inside track to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game, and will be considered the early national championship favorite.
The question is simple for Alabama, which comes into today’s 2:30 p.m. kickoff as a 7 ½ -point favorite.
Will the Tide (1-0) have an answer for reigning Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel and the Texas A&M offense?
“Texas A&M has an outstanding team, one of the best offensive teams probably in college football, maybe in this history of college football in terms of their quarterback’s ability to make plays and the great job of executing that they do,” Alabama Coach Nick Saban said. “They’re a very well-coached team.
“It’s a challenging environment for our players to be able to go over and have the kind of discipline to execute and focus on the kind of fundamental things that are going to affect the outcome of the game.”
Texas A&M Coach Kevin Sumlin and his team want to prove last season’s 29-24 victory over the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa wasn’t a fluke.
The Aggies (2-0) will get some much needed help on defense as cornerback De’Vante Harris, linebacker Steven Jenkins and defensive end Gavin Stansbury return this week after missing the first two games while serving suspensions for violating team rules. The Aggies also will have the support of more than 80,000 fans, who help make up Kyle Field’s 12th Man, cheering them on.
“I’ve said before it’s one of the best places to play in the country if you’re the home team and one of the hardest places to play in the country if you’re the visiting team,” Sumlin said. “For a lot of people who have never been here, they’ll be surprised by the atmosphere and what the 12th Man brings to the table.
“We consider ourselves the original 12th man, and there’s a reason why. I think people will find that out Saturday.”
Alabama has lost two road games since 2009, falling at South Carolina (35-21) and LSU (24-21) in 2010, but after a lackluster offensive performance in a 35-10 victory over Virginia Tech in Week 1 there are some questions about the Tide, particularly their offensive line.
“Everybody hears everybody talking,” Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron said. “We don’t need to pay attention to it, but you’re still going to hear it. I feel like they came out this past week and really improved, did a great job communicating. … They’ve done a really job of progressing, so hopefully we can keep building.”
Sumlin is also expecting improvement from his defense now that it is back at full strength. Texas A&M -which lists 11 freshmen on its defensive depth chart - is ranked 84th or lower in total defense (449.5 yards per game), rushing defense (273 ypg) and scoring defense (29.5 ppg).
“Certainly, we don’t have all our questions answered, but to get those guys back in the huddle will be a big deal,” Sumlin said. “The addition of Steven Jenkins will be big, not only from an athletic standpoint but from a leadership and experience standpoint.
“We won’t have to be as vanilla as we have been because of youth.”
Alabama returns eight starters from a defense that led the nation in total defense last season. The Crimson Tide are ranked No. 1 in pass efficiency defense (30.6) and No. 6 in third-down defense.
Alabama held Virginia Tech to 212 total yards in the season-opener Aug. 31, but Texas A&M is a much more dangerous offense with Manziel at the controls. The Aggies are averaging 58.5 points per game, and Manziel’s ability to run and throw created all types of problems for the Crimson Tide last season.
Saban said Alabama’s defense will have to show better discipline against Manziel this time.
“I think that when we play against a player like this, all 11 players one defense are really, really important,” Saban said.
“If one guy doesn’t do his job, then they are going to take advantage of it.” Information for this article was contributed by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Decatur (Ala.) Daily and the Anniston (Ala.) Star.
Sports, Pages 19 on 09/14/2013