Alabama Football: Empty stadiums might actually help the Tide in 2020

Alabama football might be better off without fans in stands for 2020.

No one is sure how exactly college football will be played, but one thing being considered is limited seating in stands. Alabama football has one of the biggest stadiums in the country, but they would still be affected at home with limited capacity. At most, there would only be 25-50 thousand fans, and there is a situation where they will have none.

This might be bold, but I actually believe that the Crimson Tide will play better without fans in the stands. Here’s why.

How could Alabama football do better without fans?

Let’s be honest. The Crimson Tide are going to be better than any of their regular season opponents. When you are better on the field, you don’t want any distractions off of it. Fans in hostile road environments have a major impact on the games, so it would be useful for these environments to be eliminated in 2020.

Alabama has to play against Ole Miss, Tennessee and LSU on the road in 2020. While the Tide will certainly be favored in these games, these stadiums are known for tough road environments. With LSU coming off of a national championship, Tennessee on the rise in recruiting, and Ole Miss happy with their new coach, all fan bases will be energized this season. If Alabama could eliminate their energy and focus solely on the play on the field, they would likely be favored even more heavily.

However, this is a double-edged sword. If LSU and Tennessee can’t have fans, then Alabama won’t have fans when they host Auburn or Texas A&M. Even so, this is not a big deal. Defensive coordinators often enjoy road games due to the silence when their team is on the field. The team will miss the energy that the fans bring, but they will be able to better communicate on defense. Miscommunication was the Achilles heel for the Tide in 2019, as defenders were constantly missing assignments. Between a potentially silent crowd and the return of Dylan Moses, communication will be significantly improved this season.

There is only one game that the Tide could really use fans, and that is the Georgia game in September. UGA will be stacked as always with talent, and the bonus of hosting this game would be great for Alabama. However, they will still have a strong defense and running game. This game might be a nail-biter, but Alabama has the edge. If they lose, it will not be because of a lack of fans.

Alabama already has the toughest schedule in recent memory. Many might believe that a lack of fans would make it harder. However, I believe that it might actually tip the scales in Alabama football’s favor.