Alabama Football: Supposed to be ‘huge’ Texas game isn’t

Not since the 2009 BCS National Championship game has an Alabama football team squared off against the Texas Longhorns. That game was huge because it was a title game, but not because the two teams were an even match.

Leading up to Saturday morning in Austin, some are claiming the Crimson Tide vs. the Longhorns is a battle of college football heavyweights. It isn’t. It will be a measuring stick for the Horns, giving some indication of how much the program may have improved over last season’s 5-7 team.

As is almost always the case in the Alabama Football, Nick Saban Era, for the Tide the game will be a test of itself. How close can it come to being its best self – against a program with enough talent to provide a measurement?

Texas could win the game, but only if the Crimson Tide beats itself. Otherwise, the around 20-point line for the game might be low.

Of course, Nick Saban will vehemently deny any sizable gap between the teams. In Austin, responses are more realistic. Texas has a very good tight end in Ja’Tavion Sanders who honestly said,

"… we have to have one of the best weeks of practice we’ve ever had. We know Bama’s not a pushover at all. They could blow us out easily if we don’t execute the game plan."

The “blow us out easily” part is not an overstatement. Steve Sarkisian has an unproven QB and two, true freshmen offensive linemen in offensive tackle Kelvin Banks and offensive guard Cole Hutson. Banks, particularly, has the potential for stardom. But what Banks will face on Saturday will, in the best case for Texas, put that stardom on hold.

Texas and Alabama Football Connections

Steve Sarkisian has an impact player in Ja’Tavion Sanders and arguably the best overall running back in college football in Bijan Robinson. His inexperienced QB, Quinn Ewers may grow into being a game changer. Nick Saban says the Texas defense is better than last season. Sark and former Crimson Tide assistants, Bo Davis, Jeff Banks, Kyle Flood, and AJ Milwee might understand how to counter the Crimson Tide better than most coaches.

But as Nick Saban said on Monday,

"We’ve played several teams who know us. But you act like we don’t know them."

Steve Sarkisian knows what is coming. He must guard against Saturday’s game defining his Longhorns. As quoted by the Longhorn Network, Sark said,

"My goal is to be in Dallas on Dec. 3. This game has no impact on that. We don’t impact them going to the SEC Championship. But it’s an awesome opportunity."

Saturday is a valuable opportunity for Texas. The team is likely to give the game its all. Hopefully, afterward, Texas fans will not resort to the kind of whining that followed the ’09 National Championship game.