Introduction

We’re beautifully close to football season, and even though last year was the worst year of all time, there’s actually some reason to be hopeful. For that reason, we’re breaking down each game we’ll play this year, and exploring a little bit about each opponent. Ultimately we’ll make some levels of predictions about our chances, for better or for worse. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @ArkansasFight to keep up with all the latest posts, and don’t forget to sign up to be a pollster for our site!

Week 8- October 26, 2019

Opponent:

Alabama

Where:

Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, AL. Kickoff has not yet been determined.

Their Coach:

Nick Saban

Our Record Against Them:

Does anyone remember way back in 2006? After a double overtime victory over the Tide, the Hogs trailed the overall series by one game, 9-8. Coach Houston Nutt held a WINNING RECORD OVER ALABAMA after that game.

Then Saban showed up, and it has been all crimson ever since. Currently, Alabama leads the series, 21-8.

Key Players:

Tua Tagovailoa, QB: Last year, Tagovailoa had the most efficient passing season ever by a quarterback. For most of last year, he was the Heisman favorite. Now, the Heisman runner-up seems kinda...underrated? I know. But Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence has replaced him as the darling of college football, and you can bet Tua has all the motivation in the world to dominate 2019.

Jerry Jeudy, WR: The best receiver in the best receiving corps in college football, Jeudy will run around all over the field and catch everything thrown his way. He is likely to be the first receiver taken in the NFL draft next year.

Dylan Moses, LB: The kid who received an offer to play football at LSU as an eighth grader has grown up. Replacing Mack Wilson in the middle of the Tide defense, Moses will be relied on to be the Man on that side of the ball. With a high football IQ and limitless athletic ability, Moses will have the Tide D ready to go.

A Very Short Recap of Their Last Season:

A lot of talk about “BEST TEAM EVER” was chattered during last year’s regular season and honestly, through much of the season, it didn’t seem offbase. The offense, behind Tagovailoa, did whatever it wanted to, even against plenty of stout defenses. The defense, while a step behind the offense, could turn it on when it needed to, leading the Tide to back-to-back shut out victories over ranked LSU and Mississippi State teams.

January 7th sure did a number on that talk, huh? The Clemson Tigers made Bama feel every bit of how Bama makes the rest of us feel, devastated and despairing. Seriously, the highlights have been a joy to watch all offseason.

How We Feel About Our Chances:

October is a wonderful time of year to be outside in Arkansas. From historic Arkansas Post to beautiful Hawksbill Crag, this wonderful state allows us to get up, step away from our television for three hours or so, and really enjoy what it’s like to be alive and definitely not in a state of horror.

Let’s all make October 26th a good day! Make that the day we avoid football!

Thanks for checking out the eighth part of our series on Arkansas’ 2019 Football Season, be sure to sign up for our SB Nation poll, and follow @ArkansasFight on Twitter. For Hog reactions and daily devotionals to Arkansas state parks, follow @lukecdavis.