The term "trap game" will be thrown around a lot this week as Alabama prepares for a road trip to face 3-4 South Carolina this weekend.
It's a natural letdown spot for the Crimson Tide. After winning six straight games, including the last four against ranked SEC opponents, it would be human nature for the players to look at this weekend's matchup against the Gaemcocks as a relief.
That would be a mistake, however, and could open Alabama to an upset much like it experienced in road games against Vanderbilt and Oklahoma last season. Those performances are burned into the minds of Tide fans heading into this weekend.
South Carolina is a talented team. The Gamecocks were a popular College Football Playoff pick coming into the season after last year's 9-3 regular season. They are a disappointing 3-4, but all four of their losses have come against ranked SEC foes. They will have plenty of motivation this weekend as they look for a signature win to salvage something out of this season.
Alabama's preparation needs to be the same for South Carolina as it was for the last four opponents on its schedule. The Gamecocks have similar talent and are fully capable of beating the Crimson Tide this weekend, especially at home.
If what Keon Sabb said after practice on Tuesday is true, it sounds like Alabama is taking this game seriously.
"For us, it's really a nameless, faceless opponent," Sabb said. "Regardless of the opponent or the record, we're going out there to dominate. They're a really good team with really, really good players. We've got to continue to be our best and do our job on the road."
Keon Sabb calls South Carolina a 'nameless, faceless opponent'
If Sabb's mindset is a reflection of the entire team, then Alabama fans should be comfortable that the Crimson Tide will play well this weekend. Your preparation should not change based on who you are playing. It's harder to get your team ready to play games against teams they perceive as inferior, but that's the earmark of a great coach.
That's what Nick Saban was always able to do, and that's why Alabama was almost impervious to major upsets during Saban's 17-year tenure in Tuscaloosa. That's what Kalen DeBoer is striving for, and something he has yet to achieve.
We know DeBoer is an elite big-game coach. After beating Tennessee on Saturday, DeBoer is now 19-3 all-time against Top 25 opponents. But he's only 8-4 against unranked opponents during his time as the Alabama head coach. That makes this game more nerve-racking for Crimson Tide fans than any game of the last four weeks.
There's a confidence when Alabama plays a ranked opponent that the team is going to be well prepared and ready to go.
That confidence needs to bleed over into games like this. That's the next evolution for DeBoer and this team.