One of college football’s biggest matchups of the season is Saturday in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Alabama battles Texas at Bryant-Denny Stadium via ESPN at 6:00 p.m.
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Steve Sarkisian nearly had his first win over Nick Saban in 2022, but Bryce Young pulled the Crimson Tide to a 20-19 victory in Austin, Texas. Sarkisian looks to become the third former Saban assistant to defeat him. A lot of hype is leading into the game, including most of it coming from national media. Alabama could stamp itself as one of the best teams in the nation with a dominant showing against the ‘Horns, but Coach Saban continues to keep his players grounded on handling responsibilities.
ESPN’s Holly Rowe met with several Tide players on Wednesday. According to her, the student-athletes have not bought into the noise, hype, or ‘rat poison’ for the Texas matchup. Everyone is locked in on their assignment and ready to seize the moment.
Just finished interviews with multiple @AlabamaFTBL players. Each young man talked about tuning out the noise and “rat poison” leading up to hyped Texas game. Message received😂☠️
— Holly Rowe (@sportsiren) September 6, 2023
Alabama has numerous players on its roster from the state of Texas, including Jalen Milroe, Jase McClellan, Jam Miller, Kendrick Blackshire, James Brockermeyer, Jaeden Roberts, and Jalen Hale. McClellan, a senior running back, had an 81-yard touchdown run last season against the Longhorns. He’s prepared for another marquee showing. Milroe, a redshirt sophomore, grew up a Vince Young fan. The talented dual-threat eyes an opportunity to silence naysayers on a primetime stage this weekend.
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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.
