Game of the week: 5 things to know about Alabama-Florida

Each week during the season, we spotlight the best game. This week, it’s No. 1 Alabama (2-0) vs. No. 11 Florida (2-0) in Gainesville.

The game kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS; Brad Nessler will handle the play-by-play and Gary Danielson is the analyst.

Here are five things to know about the Alabama-Florida game, plus the predicted final score from the On3 national staff.

1. Florida’s quarterback situation

The biggest storyline for the Gators is what Dan Mullen will do at quarterback. Fourth-year junior Emory Jones has waited his turn to start, but he has been wildly inconsistent in the first two games. He has rushed for 155 yards and a TD and thrown for 264 yards and two TDs. But he also has thrown four picks — and those came against FAU and USF, whose defensive talent never will be compared with Alabama’s. His interceptions have come on horrendous reads, and on late throws, to boot. What’s his confidence level? Luckily for the Gators, backup Anthony Richardson has been scintillating. He has accounted for 467 yards of offense and four TDs on 22 plays — 11 passes and 11 runs. He is big (6 feet 4, 236 pounds), fast and physical. Plus, he wears No. 15, conjuring images of Tim Tebow — but Tebow with more speed and a better throwing motion. Richardson tweaked his hamstring on an 80-yard TD run against USF last week — a game in which Florida piled up 666 total yards — but he is expected to play against the Tide. How much is the question. Florida coach Dan Mullen is sticking with Jones as the starter, with one reason being the Gators have a bigger playbook with the veteran in the lineup. If Jones struggles, it will be interesting to see how much run Richardson gets. In addition, doing big things against FAU and USF certainly isn’t the same as doing big things against Alabama. But if nothing else, there will be an energy boost in the crowd when Richardson first appears.

2. The Alabama quarterback

Bryce Young has played well — 70.8 completion rate, 571 yards, seven TDs, no picks — in his first two games as a starter. But this will be the first time in his Tide career that he will be facing a truly hostile crowd. He saw action in mop-up duty last season in stadiums that were, at best, a third full; this season, his starts have come at a neutral site where 90 percent of the fans wore crimson and at home against a FCS foe. Florida Field can be quite loud, and the longer it remains close, the louder the Swamp will become. Crowd noise only goes so far, though; Florida needs to find a way to put consistent pressure on Young. The Gators have linemen who can get home — most notably DE Zach Carter — and you also can expect blitzes from DC Todd Grantham. Florida was shaky on third-down defense last season and that bears watching in this one. If Young has time in the pocket, he is going to carve up Florida’s secondary (more on that unit in a minute).

3. Alabama’s pass rush

Will Anderson, who might be the nation’s best pass rusher, seems likely to play. But it’s also likely that he won’t be 100 percent after suffering a minor knee injury in last Saturday’s win over Mercer. Alabama already lost Chris Allen, their other starting outside linebacker, for the season with an injury suffered in the opening win against Miami. But weep not for the Tide: Each of the other outside ’backers on the depth chart — Drew Sanders, Chris Braswell and Dallas Turner — were five-star recruits and can play. No question, though, that their pass-rushing skills aren’t as good as Anderson’s. DE Phidarian Mathis has come on as a pass rusher, and the Tide also has some inside linebackers who can be dangerous when blitzing. Alabama has seven sacks this season, including four against Miami, when the Tide basically was in D’Eriq King’s face all day. Florida has allowed one sack this season, when the backup line was playing in the fourth quarter last week against USF. Keep an eye on Florida right tackle Jean Delance, who has had issues with speed rushers basically his whole career. One positive for Florida in this aspect is the mobility of Jones and Richardson.

4. Florida’s secondary

Florida CB Kaiir Elam is a legit All-American candidate. But the corner opposite him and the safeties are questions, and that’s obviously not good with Alabama coming in. Along with Elam, Avery Helm, Jason Marshall, Elijah Blades and maybe even Jadarrius Perkins could see time at corner for the Gators on Saturday; expect to see more of them around the ball than Elam because, hey, why throw at Elam when you don’t have to? At safety and “star” (basically a nickel back), there is no real standout. The Gators do need a big performance from Tre’Vez Johnson at the star spot; Perkins also will see time there. Florida figures to use a dime package frequently, but unless there is a consistent pass rush, all those DBs except Elam could be in trouble.

5. Recent history

This is the first regular-season meeting since 2014 and just the seventh since the SEC expanded to 12 teams in 1992. But the Gators and Tide have met 10 times in the league championship game. Alabama has won the past seven meetings, and four of those have come in the title game. One of those title-game meetings was last season; the Tide won 52-46, which was the only time all season Alabama won by fewer than 15 points. Alabama has won 31 in a row against SEC East teams, dating to a 2010 loss to South Carolina. Overall, Nick Saban is 41-3 against the SEC East since becoming coach in 2007. Mullen never has beaten the Tide; he was 0-9 against Alabama at Mississippi State and obviously lost last season’s SEC title game. Florida has won four of its past five at home against top-10 teams (wins over No. 7 Auburn in 2019, No. 5 LSU in 2018, No. 3 Ole Miss in 2015 and No. 4 LSU in 2012 and a loss to No. 2 Florida State in 2013).

On3 predictions

Mike Huguenin: Alabama 41-28

Ivan Maisel: Alabama 41-23

Charles Power: Alabama 41-24

Matt Zenitz: Alabama 38-21