Alabama Crimson Tide VS Arkansas State Red Wolves

The Tide’s home opener against the Wolfies of A-State promises to be a lot like a soap opera episode.

Everybody got their panties in a wad last week when Coach Saban “snapped” at ESPN’s Maria Taylor during her post-game interview. 

She asked Saban what he learned about each of his quarterbacks after watching them play. "Well, I still like both guys," he said of Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts. "Both guys are good players. I think both guys can help our team, alright? So, why do you continually try to get me to say something that doesn't respect one of them? I'm not going to, so quit asking."

All the Bama haters condemned Saban but Taylor, appearing on the “Paul Finebaum Show” said, “I understand that at times coaches get heated and there are things they don't really want to talk about. As a sideline reporter, you're in the line of fire and I just got lit up once. And that's fine. And I received a call from Saban even before I got to the highway leaving the stadium. That's how passionate he was about getting the apology out. It wasn't after he heard a backlash about it or negative talk, it was how he felt immediately in that moment. And I'm so thankful, and I respect him for making that call.”

"It's all good. I'm going to see him again. We're going to be fine. Things happen and I know that we both put it behind us and hopefully everyone else can as well. I know how great Alabama is. I know how great Coach Nick Saban is and I enjoy being around his program. I will continue to enjoy being around his program."

According to Aaron Suttles of The Athletic, QB Jalen Hurts is expected to redshirt the 2018 season sitting out the balance of the year and then transfer.

If true, it would confirm gossip from people and players around the program. The word on the street has been that Jalen’s father, Averion Hurts, has been the issue for the past nine months.  Averion does not recognize his son’s limitations.

Today’s game will be the first meeting between Arkansas State and the Crimson Tide since 2008 in which the Red Wolves were shellacked 35-0.  Head Coach Blake Anderson told KAIT-TV he’s seeking a “signature victory”.  He said his team is going into Bryant-Denny Stadium with a plan to win.  “We’re going to be outmatched in a lot of areas and we’ll have to maximize every ounce of talent that we have but, uh, we just have to be better than them for one day and really, just for 60 minutes.”

Senior QB Justice Hansen completed a school record six touchdown passes and recorded 454 yards total offense to help lead Arkansas State to a 48-21 victory over Southeast Missouri State. Not only did Hansen’s six passing touchdowns break the A-State record, they also tied the second most in Sun Belt Conference history and tied the most this season by any player in the nation.

Former Bama Head Coach Gene Stallings once said, “If you think there’s such a thing as an unimportant game, just try losing one.”

To that end, the Red Wolves have one of the nation’s most prolific offenses and QB Hansen could start at just about any SEC school.  They run plays at breakneck speed and possess a wide array of looks and options.  They are anything but a cupcake team.

A-State is 2-57-3 against teams currently in the SEC and the ESPN Matchup Predictor gives the boys from Tuscaloosa a 98.2% chance of victory.  Will the Red Wolves be kryptonite to Bama’s Hawaiian Superman?  I say no. Not even.