Alabama Football: Final thoughts on Tide vs. Gators
By Dakota Cox
We are approaching Alabama football’s first true test
So far this season, Alabama football has dominated against two non-SEC opponents. This will be the first true test of the 2021 season, and it will be on the road against the reigning SEC East champs.
While Alabama has experience on both sides of the ball, this will be the first hostile environment for a lot of the key contributors. Bryce Young has played in mop-up duty, but this will be his first start in a true road game. The same can be said for multiple offensive linemen, which is the one position group that has struggled the most this season.
When you look at the Florida Gators, there is no doubt that they are worse now than they were last year. They lost the three best players the offense has seen since Tebow took the field. While they have athleticism at quarterback, there remain questions. However, they have their own advantages.
Most of Florida’s advantages are situational. They have an X-factor as a backup quarterback. Anthony Richardson has shown insane potential in his limited reps, and he may see a larger role in the offense if Emory Jones struggles. Also, Florida will have the momentum of the home crowd. These things are uncontrollable for Alabama football, which is the only concern.
If you put these teams on a neutral field and played 100 times, Alabama would win at least 80 of them. However, there are some things tipping the scale in Florida’s favor, which is more than you can say in most weeks.
The good news is that Alabama still has control of this matchup. If they play their best game, they will win easily. That’s the benefit the Tide bring into most matchups. The only concern is if Alabama struggles early. Mental errors have hurt the Tide in the past, and that could happen again.
Next. Keys for Alabama to beat Florida. dark
Alabama is expected to win this game, and they likely will. There is a path for Florida to win, but the Tide still have the talent to dictate this game’s story. If they take control, there is nothing the Gators can do.