2024 Alabama Football Opponents: Diving into WKU and one more

Leading into Alabama Football's Fall Camp that begins on July 31, let's review the Crimson Tide's 12 regular season opponents. In multiple posts, details will be offered on the opposition in the order of Alabama's least challenge to its greatest one.

The least is easy to define. The Mercer Bears have zero chance of beating Alabama on Nov. 16. The game will be at Bryant-Denny, but the Crimson Tide could travel to Macon's Five Star Stadium, with a 30-man roster and beat the Bears by three touchdowns - or more. In four previous contests between the Crimson Tide and the Bears, going back to 1939, Mercer scored a total of 14 points.

The next opponent on a 'least challenge' scale is the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. Going back to 2008, Bama and WKU have played three games. The Hilltoppers have a combined scoring output of 17 points in three losses.

WKU head coach, Tyson Helton has a 40-26 record. Before becoming a head coach, Helton coached quarterbacks at UAB, USC, Tennessee, and also at WKU in 2024 and 2015. He played QB at Houston in the late 1990s.

The Hilltoppers posted an 8-5 record last season and won a third consecutive bowl game. In the 2021 and 2022 seasons, WKU was 18-10. Helton's success has been built on high-octane passing attacks. In 2021, WKU was No. 2 in the FBS in Passing Yards Per Game. The 2022 team finished No.2 for the same stat. Last season, WKU dipped to No. 15 in the FBS. The dip in 2023 is easily explained. Helton did not have a QB equal to Bailey Zappe in 2021. Austin Reed's numbers in 2022 were almost as impressive as Zappe's, but last season his production dipped.

For the 2024 season, Helton is counting on a QB with considerable SEC experience. After an impressive 2023 season, TJ Finley transferred from Texas State to WKU. Finley's passing accuracy was inconsistent in one season at LSU and two seasons at Auburn, leading to too frequent interceptions. Last season, Finley completed 67.4% of his passes and had a touchdown pass-to-interception count of 24-to-8.

WKU Offense vs. new Alabama Football Secondary

Can Helton's offense and Finley's arm test a rebuilt Alabama football secondary? Perhaps, if Finley has time to throw, but the WKU offensive line will be no match for the Tide's defensive front. WKU will likely score a couple of touchdowns. Alabama will score many more.