Alabama linebackers Dylan Moses (32) and Anfernee Jennings (33) sack Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald during last Saturday's game in Tuscaloosa, Ala.NO. 1 ALABAMA (10-0) vs. THE CITADEL (4-5)
Noon at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
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THE MATCHUP
This doesn't seem like the best of deals for Alabama, which is providing The Citadel a $500,000 check for the opportunity to defend against the option offense of the Bulldogs. The Crimson Tide are rolling defensively after shutouts of LSU, 29-0, and Mississippi State, 24-0, and have their sights set on quarterback Brandon Rainey, who guided The Citadel past Samford last weekend by rushing for 217 yards, with 207 of those in the second half. This likely will be the only time Alabama's current players have to face such an offense. "Playing a triple-option offense, you have to play alongside each other and stick together," Tide sophomore inside linebacker Dylan Moses said. "It's a mind game. If you get one thing wrong, they will slice you right up the middle." Alabama has a "No-Score November" theme going, which could be in play again this time next week going into the annual Iron Bowl against Auburn.
ONE TO WATCH
Alabama coach Nick Saban was quick to snap at the thought of sitting out starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who sprained his knee at Arkansas more than a month ago and took several hits last week against Mississippi State. "Why would we do that?" Saban said at the beginning of the week. "Are we saying this is not an important game or one where he doesn't need to play? Tagovailoa continues to be the favorite for the Heisman Trophy, having thrown for 28 touchdowns with only two interceptions, so look for him to put up big first-half numbers before heading to the sideline.
IN THE END
Today marks the third time in five years The Citadel has played against the previous season's Football Bowl Subdivision national champion, with the Bulldogs having lost 61-3 to Clemson last season and 37-12 to Florida State in 2014. "They are a great team, and it will be special for me because both my parents went there," Bulldogs senior fullback Lorenzo Ward Jr., whose father played safety for the Tide, told The Post and Courier newspaper in Charleston, South Carolina. "It will be great just to be in the same stadium he played in, and it will be great for the younger guys to play in that atmosphere, just like we got to do last year at Clemson. We will get to go against Nick Saban and some of the best players in college football, and that's a once-in-a-lifetime experience."
PREDICTION
Alabama 49, The Citadel 0