The No. 1 team in the nation is playing in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Saturday, and for once it isn’t the Crimson Tide.
The team that is so accustomed to success and respect has to prove itself this weekend when Mississippi State, its Heisman hopeful quarterback and its undefeated record come to town. The past glory is thrown out, and all that matters is this game.
“What’s happened in the past, it really doesn’t matter. Nothing matters,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. “What matters is they have a very good team, they’ve played very well. They have a very significant amount of things that they’ve been able to accomplish this year so far in going 9-0 and beating some good teams.”
Following an arduous overtime win against LSU, Alabama will have to quickly recover to face the top-ranked Bulldogs. Typically, Alabama starts slowly in the week following LSU, losing to Johnny Manziel’s Texas A&M two seasons ago, and playing poorly against Miss. State last season. Alabama under Saban hasn’t scored a first quarter touchdown in the game following LSU, and usually averages fewer points in the post-LSU game than the rest of the season.
Normally, Miss. State is a reprieve for Alabama to get rested up before it plays Auburn, but not this season. The Bulldogs and their quarterback Dak Prescott are the team to beat in the SEC, and in the entire country for that matter.
Alabama gave up some crucial yardage on the ground, especially on third downs, to LSU’s quarterback Anthony Jennings, and Prescott is similarly prone to run. Alabama’s defense has specifically planned for that this week in practice, using scout team quarterback Cooper Bateman in Prescott’s place.
“Cooper Bateman is very athletic, very fast,” Saban said. “Probably runs less than 4.6 and does a really, really good job. He’s been the scout team player of the week several times this year and certainly has done a really good job this week. You have to have someone who can be that type of guy or you really can’t prepare your defense for what they’re going to see.”
Saban attributed LSU’s running quarterback success to the defense not doing its job up front. Saban said the front should be more disciplined when it rushes the passer and not necessarily worry about hitting the quarterback.
“I think what’s really critical in games like this is guys want to get sacks so bad, and that’s why sacks have nothing to with being successful as a defensive team,” Saban said. “It’s pushing the pocket and making the quarterback throw the ball in the pocket. When you press the pocket against him so he can’t step up and attack the middle of the field or step up and run.”
Prescott is 6-foot-2, 235 pounds and has 2,231 yards passing with 18 touchdowns, and 739 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. He is a frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy and poses a serious threat to Alabama’s playoff hopes.
“[Prescott’s] an all-around athlete, a big guy who can run, has a great arm, and manages their offense well,” Alabama cornerback Cyrus Jones said. “It’s definitely going to be a challenge for us as a defense, but I think with our preparation as a defense, we’re going to be ready.”
Alabama, under Saban’s tutelage, is 3-1 against No. 1 teams, but the team doesn’t see a number in front of the opponent. (Jones had to ask reporters where Alabama was ranked in the playoff poll, though, him not knowing may be a ruse.) The players only focus is on the opponent at hand and they let the rest take care of itself.
“We try not to worry about what the rankings are,” Jones said. “We understand it’s definitely a big game, and it’s going to take a valiant effort for us to come out with the win. It’s going to be a tough SEC-type game, but rankings really don’t matter once you step on the field.”
