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BYU emerging as a potential week one opponent for Alabama football

Marvin Gentry - USA TODAY Sports

Thoughts surfaced on Texas Christian University (TCU) or Notre Dame facing Alabama to start week one of the college football season, but now a new team has entered the mix. 

The Crimson Tide was originally scheduled to play the University of Southern California on Saturday, Sept. 5 at AT&T Stadium, but the Pac-12 decided to go to a conference-only look – which cancelled the matchup. Reports would start to swirl on the possibility of the Tide facing Notre Dame; however, athletic director Greg Byrne shot the idea down quickly. 

According a new report from AL.com, Brigham Young University is the latest school entering the conversation to play the Tide.

BYU, like Alabama, was scheduled to face Utah but that will not happen. The Cougars are an Independent like the Fighting Irish, and the program has had great talent at the quarterback position. Big names such as Ty Detmer, Steve Young, Jim McMahon and Steve Sarkisian all played at BYU.

Detmer won the Heisman Trophy in 1990 and Sarkisian is Alabama’s current offensive coordinator.

Along with being a private university owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or Mormon Church, BYU has a national championship in football via the 1984 season.  

Kalani Sitake, head coach of the Cougars, will enter his fifth season in the fall.

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He is 27-25 at BYU – including three winning seasons.  

Sitake has compiled a 7-6 record in each of the last two years; however, it did defeat Tennessee at Neyland Stadium (29-26) last season.

Facing Alabama would give the Cougars its third opponent from the Southeastern Conference in the last four years.  

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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine.  You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.

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Stephen Smith is a 2015 graduate of the University of Alabama. He is a senior writer and reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. He has covered Alabama football for 10+ years and his knowledge and coverage of the Crimson Tide's program have made him among the most respected journalist in his field. Smith has been featured on ESPN and several other marquee outlets as an analyst.

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