Alabama football (3-0,1-0) faces its second SEC opponent, Texas Aggies (2-1) Saturday afternoon at Bryant Denny Stadium. Head coach Nick Saban squares off against his protegé, former Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher.
Alabama football enters the game fresh off of three blowout victories. Texas A&M is the Crimson Tide’s first ranked opponent. However, it is fake news as they come into Bryant Denny ranked 22nd in the nation. The Aggies are not who we thought they were. Playing Clemson late into the fourth quarter has given $75 million coach Jimbo Fisher false hope heading into Tuscaloosa.
The nation has not even seen the best of the Crimson Tide. Neither coordinator has had to dive deep into their playbooks. Do not expect it to begin this weekend.
The first bold prediction for the Alabama football/Texas A&M matchup starts with the Crimson Tide’s star receiver.
Jerry Jeudy scores three touchdowns
Sophomore wide receiver Jerry Jeudy has caught eleven receptions this season. Six for touchdowns. Not just a one-yard catch, either.
Jeudy has hauled in two scores in each game this season. His three longest catches are for 79, 58 and 25 yards. Against Ole Miss, he averaged 45.3 yards per reception.
Last year, Henry Ruggs III led the team with six touchdown catches. Jeudy tied him in three games.
When you think of Alabama wide receivers in the past ten years, superstars Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, and Calvin Ridley quickly spring to mind. Jerry is playing his way into the conversation.
Lining Jeudy up in the slot poses a mismatch for opposing defenses. There is a strong possibility that the opposing team’s third-best cornerback is lining up across from him. Jerry’s highlight catch against Ole Miss came on third and nine on Alabama’s 21-yard line. The Ole Miss defender designed to cover never touched Jeudy once he got past the line of scrimmage. Jerry blazed past untouched with a perfect long ball from Tua to a 79-yard score.
New Aggies defensive coordinator Mike Elko may be able to slow Jeudy down. That is unlikely.
Jeudy has a monster day against the Aggies defense.