Alabama Football: Bold Prediction time for the Arkansas game

Thursday or Friday each game week is Alabama Football Bold Prediction time. It is a fun, mostly serious exercise of trying to predict what will happen in an upcoming game. Timid predictions are inexcusably boring, so there is always an effort to be bold. Even stressing boldness, so far this season most of the predictions have been correct.

For the record, there have been massively bad prediction fails as well. This week I am deviating from the norm of providing six or seven predictions. Instead, I am offering just one. It might be my boldest of the season.

Alabama Football Media Assessments

Starting with the Utah State game and significantly increasing after the Texas game, college football pundits have found the Tide lacking. The theme of most stories has been this season’s Alabama Crimson Tide is missing something. There have been various opinions about what is missing. Most often it is said the fault lies in no explosive pass receivers. Or Bill O’Brien’s schemes and play-calling are described as lacking for the college game.

Even Bryce Young has been said to not quite have the right stuff this season.

Alabama football fans hear and see the claims. Part of the problem has been the Crimson Tide schedule. Even Alabama fans admit the lack of tough competition in the Tide’s four games has not built much of a 2022 resume.

The schedule weakness takes an about-face on Saturday and until mid-November, the Tide will have plenty of challenges. Four of the six games are on the SEC road.

A Couple of Media Observations

• Paul Finebaum fueled the ‘Alabama is down’ flames a couple of weeks ago, when he said, “Georgia is the new Alabama.”
• More recently, Finebaum added, talking about the Arkansas, Texas A&M and Tennessee games, “It’s really hard to believe they’re (Alabama) going to survive this stretch.”

Honestly, it is possible to disagree with both of the Finebaum statements and also agree, that at least the second one, is not a ridiculous claim. Given less attention, was something else Finebaum said, calling Alabama excited to take on Arkansas, after a couple of weeks of being second-guessed.

This leads to my bold prediction for the Arkansas game.

Alabama Football vs. Arkansas Bold Prediction

I agree with the less noticed comment by Finebaum. This Alabama Football team is primed for a tough, SEC road game. I am not saying it will be easy. Arkansas may keep it close into the third quarter.  I predict the Crimson Tide explodes in the last quarter and pushes out to a 21-point (or more) win.

Winning by three touchdowns, on the SEC road, to a team recently ranked No. 10 in the nation – will be a statement win. for the Crimson Tide. I want to also boldly predict such a win will quiet Crimson Tide naysayers. But that would be a foolish claim.

Speaking of media nonsense about the Crimson Tide, this week some guy writing for SI.com claimed Alabama will not make the Playoffs and instead will play Kansas in the Sugar Bowl.