No. 8 Alabama will be facing its third consecutive top-25 opponent this week when it faces off against No. 14 Missouri on Saturday.
This will be just the ninth time these two schools have met, with the Crimson Tide holding a 6-2 record, winning their past six against the Tigers.
Here are a few things to watch this Saturday.
- Slow Down Hardy
Alabama will face the nation’s leading rusher, Ahmad Hardy, on Saturday. Hardy has run for 730 yards on the season while eclipsing the 100-yard rushing mark in all five games this season. The Crimson Tide have struggled to stop the run so far this season, but last week’s game against a heavy rushing Vanderbilt team, the defense showed signs of improvement. Stopping Hardy completely might not be possible, but slowing him down will help get the Missouri offense out of its comfort zone.
- Home Win Streak
Missouri owns the second-longest home winning streak in college football at 15 games, tied with Alabama and behind only Oregon’s 18-game run. On Saturday, the Crimson Tide will have a chance to snap another streak, just two weeks after ending Georgia’s nation-leading 33-game home winning streak.
- Turnover Margin
With a plus-nine turnover margin, Alabama leads the nation. The Crimson Tide defense has forced 10 turnovers, so far this season, while an interception thrown by Ty Simpson last week was the first and only turnover Alabama has given up. Winning the turnover battle on Saturday will be crucial to securing a road victory.
- Keep Run Game Momentum Going
The running game has gotten off to a slow start this season but has gradually improved over the past two weeks. In the return of running back Jam Miller, Alabama rushed for 117 yards against a tough Georgia team, and last week against Vanderbilt, the Crimson Tide ran for 146 yards with Miller leading the way with 136 yards on the ground. Establishing the run will help open up the field for the Crimson Tide receivers, which could lead to a big day for Simpson through the air.
- Kadyn Proctor Packages
When not lining up at offensive tackle, Kadyn Proctor has been seen catching passes and running the football in special packages drawn up by offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. Against Georgia, Proctor lined up as a receiver and caught a pass behind the line of scrimmage for an 11-yard run. Last week against Vanderbilt, Proctor converted a first down on a 2-yard run to help seal the victory. What kind of special package will Grubb design for him against Missouri?
Alabama will travel to No. 19 Missouri on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. The game will be televised on ABC.
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