Alabama Looks for Strong Showing Against Massive Underdog

Alabama Crimson Tide Football — © John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

The Alabama Crimson Tide starts a new era of football as Kalen DeBoer makes his Alabama debut against Western Kentucky at 7 p.m. EST on Saturday, Aug. 31, in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

This will be the first time in 17 years that the Tide has not had the sidelines patrolled by Nick Saban.

What's at Stake

The Crimson Tide and the Hilltoppers have met three times previously, with the Tide easily winning all three games by an average of 38-6. The Tide will want to come out and show that even with Saban gone, things will remain the same under DeBoer. A slow start will cause the football world to have doubts, even if they are unwarranted.

What's at stake for the Hilltoppers is health and pride. The Hilltoppers will have winnable games down the road on their schedule. Unfortunately, this is not one of them. Injuries are always something to worry about, no matter where you play football. Still, if the Hilltoppers go to Tuscaloosa, get hammered on the scoreboard and lose players to injury, it would be a double whammy.

Key Players: Alabama

Offensive: Everyone knows what Jalen Milroe brings and what his skillset will do to Western Kentucky. That's why Kaydn Proctor is the key player for the Tide offense. After leaving Alabama when Saban retired, Proctor returned and cleared things up with DeBoer. Proctor was one of the Tide players who struggled at times last year, especially in the South Florida game.

Defensive: The Tide's last two decades have been led by swarming, extremely sound defense. With Saban gone, DeBoer looks to continue that tradition with new defensive coordinator Kane Wommack. The secondary has seen massive turnover and will look to transfers Keon Sabb and Domani Jackson for production. The key player is Malachi Moore. With Caleb Downs leaving, Moore is the clear-cut leader in the secondary. His leadership and direction will be crucial for the Tide's success on defense.

Key Players: Western Kentucky

Offensive: Quarterbacks always have the weight of the team on their shoulders, and that is why the key offensive player for the Hilltoppers is former LSU, Auburn and Texas State quarterback TJ Finley. At Auburn, Finley started against Alabama in 2021, completing 17 of 26 passes for 137 yards with 2 touchdowns and an interception. Finley rushed for -42 yards on seven attempts. Finley had a great year last year for Texas State and is familiar with playing against the Tide, so the moment won't be too big for him.

Defensive: The key Hilltopper will be strong safety Demarko Williams, an Ole Miss transfer. Williams played in 17 games in his stent with the Rebels. So, like Finley, the moment won't be too big for him to play against the Tide. Williams will be expected to bring over experience and leadership to a defense that looks to improve on giving up 420 yards per game and 29 points a game last season.

Trends to Watch

Alabama is starting fast and looks to build a comfortable lead. There have been some grumblings among Tide fans doubting DeBoer in the offseason. Watch for Alabama to be razor-focused and put the Hilltoppers away early.

The Hilltoppers are excitedly heading into the season even though they are a 31.5-point underdog to the Tide. This game will not determine what kind of season Western Kentucky will have. If they play like most pundits think, then they could earn a rematch in the new college football playoff.