TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – In the end it didn’t matter. No Tua. No problem. At least not when the opponent was 34.5-point underdog Tennessee, the game was in Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium and the officials’ whistles gave the visitors no breaks throughout the Crimson Tide’s 35-13 win Saturday night.
Yet to look ahead, one can’t help but wonder how vulnerable the top-ranked Tide might be if Tua Tagovailoa, their Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback, is out for an extended period of time with an apparent right ankle injury.
“He’s got a high ankle sprain,” Bama boss Nick Saban told ESPN immediately after the game. “He’s probably out one to two weeks.”
As long as it’s not more than that, the Tide should be just fine. Arkansas is on tap next for Alabama, the second of three straight Southeastern Conference games inside Bryant-Denny. Then comes an open date, followed by the potential game of the year between Bama and current No. 2 LSU.
Saban almost seemed to relish winning this one without Tua, saying, “I’m really pleased we had to grind this one out.”