NO. 2 ALABAMA vs. DUKE
Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019
3:30 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta
VIDEO & RADIO
ABC & 97.3/99.3 FM
THE MATCHUP
Alabama’s offense put up at least 35 points on 12 occasions last season and racked up at least 45 points 10 times. The bad news for Duke is that quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and receivers Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle return from last season’s attack. There is a little mystery as to how much top Crimson Tide tailbacks Najee Harris and Brian Robinson Jr. will play in this game, but Alabama’s offensive line is again expected to be dominant with tackles Alex Leatherwood and Jedrick Wills Jr. The Blue Devils have replaced quarterback Daniel Jones – picked sixth overall in April’s NFL draft by the New York Giants – with Quentin Harris, who started twice last year for an injured Jones against Baylor and North Carolina Central, a tandem of opponents that doesn’t exactly have Alabama’s defensive talent. “Our defense is going to have to lead us along with some timely offense,” Duke coach David Cutcliffe said.
ONES TO WATCH
The losses of junior inside linebacker Dylan Moses and senior inside linebacker Joshua McMillon to preseason knee injuries have left Alabama with a starting tandem of freshmen Christian Harris and Shane Lee. Harris started working with the first team when McMillon went down, and Lee had been backing up Moses, who was handling the play-calling responsibilities before his setback on Tuesday. Alabama has veteran outside linebackers with Anfernee Jennings and Terrell Lewis, but the loss of 2018 Butkus Award finalist Moses has resulted in Harris and Lee being under the microscope for what will be their first game since high school. “Sometimes guys who aren’t playing have a hard time focusing, but Shane Lee and Christian Harris are both bright guys who have been very engaged in what they have to do to be able to go play,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “There is no substitute for experience, and now they’re about to get some of that.”
IN THE END
This Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game has a five-touchdown point spread, but it pits two of the most job-secure head coaches in college football. Saban is entering his 13th season at a program packed with history, having added to that with five national championships in the past 10 seasons. Cutcliffe is entering his 12th season at what was once a perennial Atlantic Coast Conference doormat, but he has taken Duke to six bowl games in the past seven seasons. “Twelve years in this profession is unheard of,” Cutcliffe said, “and we’re not going anywhere.” The Blue Devils aren’t going anywhere at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in what should be a very long afternoon.
PREDICTION
Alabama 48, Duke 7
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.