Crimson Tide Look to Put Away South Florida Quickly

Crimson Tide Football — © Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The South Florida Bulls will visit the Alabama Crimson Tide at 7 p.m. EST on Sep. 7 in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The Bulls gave the Crimson Tide all they could handle last year down in Tampa, Fla., only losing 17-3, but the game felt much closer than that. That was the most recent game that junior quarterback Jalen Milroe did not start—he did not play in that game, period.

The game will also be significant as Alabama will dedicate their field to their former coach, Nick Saban, during the game, making it Nick Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

What's at Stake

Despite last week's dismantling of Western Kentucky 63-0, the Crimson Tide still have doubters across the country saying this is not the Alabama of old. The job for the Tide this weekend is to prove they are still a major force in college football.

On the other hand, the Bulls have a chance to show the country that their performance last year was not a fluke, and that coach Alex Golesh is one of the brightest up-and-coming coaches in college football. The offensive mastermind will have his hands full against a defense that harassed the Western Kentucky quarterbacks all night.

Key Players for Crimson Tide

Offense: Freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams is only 17 years old and has already made a name for himself. The Saraland, Ala. native was one of the most dynamic players coming out of high school, and he showed why in his debut with 2 catches for 139 yards and 2 touchdowns. Williams was awarded the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week. His ability to create separation will be tested against better talent this week with the Bulls. If Williams is a problem, it will cause the secondary to pay attention to him, giving Milroe plenty of opportunity to take off out of the pocket and create issues for the Bulls' defense.

Defense: Alabama's defense pitched a shutout in Kalen DeBoer's first game as head coach. The key player for the Crimson Tide's defense is junior linebacker Deontae Lawson. With Lawson's ability to blitz and his sideline-to-sideline range, Lawson looks to make it hard for Bulls quarterback Byrum Brown.

Key Players for South Florida

Offense: Brown must be the athlete his coach thinks he can be. Brown has proven himself to be a dynamic and versatile quarterback, having already set multiple records for the Bulls. As a freshman last year against Alabama during a steady rain, Brown was 14-28 passing for only 87 yards and an interception. Brown was more of a threat on the ground, racking up 92 yards on 23 carries. Brown must play smart and clean if the Bulls stand a chance at the huge upset.

Defense: The Bulls will have difficulty stopping this version of the Alabama offense. The Bulls will be without senior linebacker Jahlyn Shuler after he sustained a leg injury against Bethune-Cookman. Next man up is graduate student defensive lineman Rico Watson III, who was a force to be reckoned with last week with 4 tackles for loss and registering 0.5 sacks. Watson III must simultaneously create pressure and be fundamentally sound to keep Milroe from leaving the pocket, which is easier said than done.

Trends to Watch

Alabama: The Crimson Tide is trending upwards given how it handled business last week in a similar fashion to the Alabama teams of the past two decades. The offense seems to be able to strike quickly and often, and if the defense can give them short fields, expect the Tide to knock the Bulls out of the game early.

South Florida: While the Bulls earned a solid victory last week, the competition will be much greater this week. Golesh said earlier in the week: "You've got to go into every single opportunity with elite confidence, or you have no shot." Golesh will have to have a game plan that gives his quarterback confidence or this one will get out of hand early.