Alabama football's gauntlet continues. After reeling off back-to-back wins over ranked SEC opponents, the Crimson Tide's reward is... a third consecutive ranked SEC opponent.
No. 8 Alabama will battle No. 14 Missouri on Saturday in Columbia. The Tigers enter the game an unbeaten 5-0, and the schedule makers could not have set this up worse for Alabama or more favorably for Missouri.
Alabama has played Georgia and Vanderbilt the last two weeks. Missouri had a bye week last week and played UMass the week before that. How a team is playing its third straight conference opponent while one hasn't played a league game in three weeks is beyond me, but altogether unsurprising in Greg Sankey's SEC.
This is far from the first time that Alabama has been given an unfavorable path in the SEC. There's nothing to be done about it other than playing the hand you are dealt.
Missouri will present a ton of problems for the Crimson Tide, particularly if Alabama doesn't match the physicality it displayed from the second quarter on against Vanderbilt. The Tigers are the No. 1 rushing offense in the country, and Alabama's run defense has been mediocre to say the least. Ahmad Hardy is the nation's leading rusher, and he'll be looking to make a Heisman statement against the Tide on Saturday.
Alabama will need Ty Simpson and the offense to be efficient, particularly when scoring opportunities present themselves. If the offense struggles in the red zone for a second straight week, it might be a long trip back to Tuscaloosa.
How to watch No. 8 Alabama at No. 14 Missouri in Week 7
- Date: Saturday, October 11th
- Time: 11:00 am C.T.
- Venue: Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium
- How to Watch (TV): ABC
- Streaming: fubo TV
- Alabama record: 4-1
- Missouri record: 5-0
What are the betting odds for Alabama vs. Missouri?
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Spread: Alabama -3.5
Over/Under: 52.5
Moneyline: Alabama -152/Vanderbilt +126
Injury reports for Alabama and Missouri
Alabama:
- LB Qua Russaw: OUT (Foot)
- LB Jah-Marien Latham: OUT (Neck)
- DL Jeremiah Beaman: OUT (ACL)
Missouri:
TBD - will be updated once the SEC's availability reports are released on Wednesday night.
Who are the announcers for Alabama vs. Missouri?
The announcers for Alabama and Missouri will be a repeat of Week 1 for Tide fans: Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Jesse Palmer (analyst), and Katie George (sideline reporter) will be on the call for the game. It's the same group that called Alabama's Week 1 loss in Tallahassee to Florida State.
What will the weather be like for Alabama football on Saturday?
Temperatures are expected to be in the high 70s to low 80s as we continue an unseasonably warm October so far. Chances of precipitation are minimal, though there could be wind gusts of up to 20mph.
Alabama vs. Missouri series history
Alabama is 6-2 all-time against Missouri. Since dropping the first two meetings against the Tigers, the Crimson Tide has won six in a row, including a perfect 5-0 mark since Missouri joined the SEC.
Last year, Alabama dominated Missouri to the tune of a 34-0 shutout victory in Tuscaloosa. The last time the two met in Columbia was the season opener of the 2020 season, where Alabama won 38-19.
This will be Alabama's fourth trip to Columbia in program history, and it has won the three previous meetings in 1978 (38-20), 2012 (42-10), and 2020 (38-19).