3 bold predictions for Alabama football against Missouri

Alabama football returns home to take on Missouri on Saturday afternoon in Tuscaloosa and will be fighting for their playoff lives. The Crimson Tide's path to the College Football Playoff is clear: win out, and they are most likely in. Lose one more game, regardless of who that loss comes against, and they are almost certainly out unless there's mass chaos across the country.

For Alabama, this game is more about them and less about Missouri. The Tigers are a faceless opponent; Alabama needs to prove it can play a complete football game and avoid the mental errors that cost them a week ago and have prevented the Tide from playing a complete game since a road trip to Wisconsin in Week 3.

We know what this team is capable of, but every week they seem to stray further from the team we saw in the first half against Georgia. But this is still the team that is capable of beating a team of Georgia's caliber.

Can the Crimson Tide get back to that level of play? It remains to be seen and I'd guess that most fans at this point are pretty pessimistic.

Today's column is all about being bold. Each week, I offer up three bold predictions for the Bama game. Sometimes I'm right, but most of the time I'm not. Last week, I unfortunately went 0/3. Tennessee's kicker didn't give Alabama a chance on a kickoff return, Jam Miller came nowhere close to 100 yards from scrimmage, and LT Overton finished with only one sack instead of the predicted two.

Frankly, an unacceptable performance by me to match the unacceptable performance by the Crimson Tide in Knoxville.

Let's see if I, and Alabama, fair any better this week.

3 Bold Predictions

3. Alabama produces four or more sacks

Missouri gives up a little less than three sacks per game, which is in the bottom third in the FBS. With QB Brady Cook likely out, the Tigers will turn to Notre Dame transfer Drew Pyne at QB. Pyne struggled against Auburn last week, but he'll likely look better against Alabama with a full week to prepare as the team's starting quarterback.

Pyne is not much of a runner at QB, and isn't as big of a threat as a downfield passer as Cook. Alabama should turn up the heat and see if they can force Pyne into mistakes. In his lone season as a starter at Notre Dame, Pyne was sacked 15 times. He was sacked 11 times in two appearances for Arizona State last season.

Alabama's pass rush has been improving each week. LT Overton has been a difference maker and on the interior Tim Keenan and Tim Smith have both been disruptive. I think the Crimson Tide will get after the QB this week and produce at least four sacks.

2. Germie Bernard leads the team in receiving, goes over 100 yards for first time at Alabama

I think it will be a point of emphasis in the offensive gameplan to spread the wealth a little more this week. I understand the point of trying to get the ball to Ryan Williams as much as possible because the kid is electric, but there are other talented playmakers on this team that need to eat, too.

I'm sure Missouri saw how big of a part of the gameplan Williams was last week and they are prepared to try and take him away. Enter Germie Bernard, who should benefit from some softer coverage.

Bernard was the team's leading receiver two weeks ago in the win over South Carolina. I think that will happen again this week and Bernard will post his first 100-yard receiving game of his Alabama career.

1. Alabama rushes for 150 yards

Alabama has to get the ground game going. It is not conducive to offensive success for this team to throw the ball 45 times and only rush for 75 total yards like last week against Tennessee. Unless the defense dominates, the Crimson Tide won't win many games with that recipe.

Who knows if this team is capable of running the ball effectively, or if the coaching staff is patient enough to set up the ground game. But my current feeling is that it will be a point of emphasis this week, particularly with Jalen Milroe's struggles the last couple of weeks.

Hopefully Jam Miller and/or Justice Haynes can find some consistency on the ground and break a big run or two, allowing the Tide to sustain some drives and avoid the all-too-frequent three-and-outs.