Coming off a 48-10 win over East Carolina to open the season, Alabama is preparing for a step up in competition in Week 2. The Crimson Tide heads to Lexington this weekend to open SEC play at Kentucky.
The Wildcats are hungry for a signature win early in Will Stein's tenure, and they'll pull out all the stops to try and get it done. Alabama will have to play a cleaner game this week than last to avoid a dicey situation on the road.
This will be a big test for Kalen DeBoer. These are the types of games where Alabama has had issues in his first two seasons as the head coach. Can the Crimson Tide take care of business against an inferior opponent on the road with little anxiety?
These four bold predictions coming through would go a long way toward that.
(Full disclosure: we went just 1-for-4 last week. We got the non-offensive touchdown we predicted, but the other three were misses. Let's do better in Week 2.)
1. EJ Crowell is fully unleashed in Week 2 and leads Alabama in rushing
Alabama is taking it slow with its shiny new toy in the backfield. The 5-star freshman made his debut against East Carolina, turning eight offensive touches into 50 yards. He was on a pitch count in the opener, only seeing the field for 12 snaps. But he touched the ball on 75% of the snaps he was on the field for, a much higher percentage than either Daniel Hill or Trae'shawn Brown.
I think the training wheels are going to come off in Week 2. Alabama knows what they have in Crowell. If you listened to Ryan Grubb talk about Crowell in his Monday press conference, he could barely contain his excitement about him.
Alabama has upgraded the talent level of its backfield, and multiple guys will play key roles for the Crimson Tide. But Crowell is going to be the guy sooner rather than later. I'm betting it's going to be this week, and the freshman ends up leading the team in rushing on the road against Kentucky. Which will help pave the way for...
2. Alabama produces 150+ rushing yards
I think Alabama's running game is going to end up being pretty good this year. The offensive line showed positive signs in Week 1 against ECU, and the running backs look like actual difference-makers for the first time in a few years.
With Crowell and Brown, Alabama has a pair of talented freshmen who can produce. And you can't overlook the veteran Hill, who looks improved. He may not have the ceiling of the freshmen or of sophomore AK Dear, but he's got the highest floor. His steadiness and ability to earn the tough yards between the tackles will remain a valuable asset this season.
If you weren't convinced about Alabama's improved ground game in Week 1, I'm betting you're going to be after Week 2.
3. Derek Meadows scores his first career touchdown
I'm buying the Derek Meadows hype after Week 1. The sophomore WR produced three catches for 44 yards in Week 1. He may not be a starter, but it's clear he's going to have a significant role this season. And if he keeps making catches like the one he made along the sideline last week, it's going to be tough to keep him off the field, and Keelon Russell is going to continue giving him opportunities.
The 6-foot-5 second-year receiver is proving himself to be QB-friendly. His role may expand further in Week 2. He's clearly a guy that DeBoer and Grubb trust.
Alabama didn't throw a touchdown pass in Week 1, instead punching in all five of its scores on the ground. That will change this week. Here's a bet on Meadows hauling in one of them for the first of his college career.
4. Alabama produces at least two defensive takeaways
Kane Wommack was excited about Yhonzae Pierre's pick-six last week. It's always nice to get a defensive touchdown. But he was also disappointed that Alabama only forced one turnover against ECU.
Taking the ball away is always a major point of emphasis for the Crimson Tide, and that will be a major point of emphasis in the lead-up to the game this Saturday. Wommack wants his defense to help out a young Alabama offense playing on the road for the first time, and the best way to do that is to force some takeaways and set the offense up with friendly situations.
Alabama's defense was dominant in Week 1, but the bar has been set extremely high for this unit. Against Kentucky on the road, I think the opportunistic nature of the unit will shine with at least two forced turnovers that help the Crimson Tide gain some separation.
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