Three pivotal games on Alabama's 2023 football schedule

Alabama will kick off its 2023 football season in less than three months, and before games get underway, the Crimson Tide has a tough slate to traverse as it ranks 18th in strength of schedule, according to ESPN. With the regular-season schedule in mind, we picked out three pivotal games for UA’s upcoming campaign, which were decided by a combined five points a season ago.

Sept. 9 – Texas

Series record: Alabama trails 2-7-1

The Longhorns will travel to Tuscaloosa, Ala., for the second half of a home-and-home series in Week 2 (6 p.m. CT on ESPN). Last year, Alabama escaped Austin, Texas, with a 20-19 win via a last-minute field goal from placekicker Will Reichard. In addition to the veteran specialist, the Crimson Tide benefited from big plays from running backs Jase McClellan, a Texas native, and Jahmyr Gibbs. Gibbs will be one of several key players not featured in Round 2, and that group is highlighted by quarterback Bryce Young. Alabama has to replace the Heisman Trophy winner behind center, and the battle for the starting job may still be going on this game week.

Steve Sarkisian, on the other hand, has already revealed his starter, as Quinn Ewers will again lead the Longhorns. He started last season’s matchup but was unable to finish after suffering an injury. While star running back Bijan Robinson is now in the NFL, Ewers has weapons around him, including top pass-catchers Xavier Worthy, Jordan Whittington and Ja’Tavion Sanders back for another year. All eyes will be on the Tide quarterbacks, but Alabama’s defense, which will have several new starters, will be tested early by the future SEC opponent. An argument could be made for this as UA’s most challenging game given where it falls on the schedule.

Oct. 21 – Tennessee

Series record: Alabama leads 59-38-8

The Tide saw its 15-year winning streak in the Third Saturday in October rivalry snap last year when the Vols used a last-second field goal to come out on top in the 52-49 shootout. Before the goal post was carried to its watery grave, the Alabama defense didn’t have an answer for Hendon Hooker, Jalin Hyatt and Tennessee’s offense, which piled up 567 yards. Coming off an injury that forced him to miss the previous week’s game, Young fought valiantly and helped the Tide out-gain the Vols by two yards as he passed for a season-high 455 yards. But it was not enough in what was the first of two regular-season losses for Alabama a season ago.

This year, Hooker, Hyatt and other key pieces from UT’s 2022 offense have moved on, so we will learn if last season was lightning in a bottle for Josh Heupel and company. Replacing the veteran quarterback will be either the strong-armed Joe Milton or former 5-star recruit Nicholaus Iamaleava, with the former holding an edge after he filled in for Hooker to close out the 2022 season. But Tennessee will need others to step up, including on the defensive side of the ball. Alabama obviously remembers how last year’s matchup ended, and will look to play better on defense this time around, but the Vols could again be a difficult matchup under Heupel.

Nov. 4 – LSU

Series record: 55-27-5

The Tigers handed Alabama its second loss of the 2022 season, defeating the Tide by a score of 32-31 in overtime in Baton Rouge, La. Young once again put up big numbers, throwing for 328 yards in Tiger Stadium, but LSU’s Jayden Daniels made plays, too, especially late, to lift his new team to a win and secure a spot in the SEC Championship Game. This offseason, the talk has been around the Tigers to potentially win the SEC West again, given its ability to defeat UA last year, but LSU needs to show more consistency after almost losing to Arkansas one week after its marquee win and then later falling to a sub-par Texas A&M team on the road. 

Going into Year 2 under head coach Brian Kelly, there is optimism surrounding the Tigers, and it starts with the return of Daniels, who should benefit from another year in not only the system but the strength and conditioning program. His leading receiver, Malik Nabors, is back and LSU also added former Crimson Tide freshman Aaron Anderson to the mix. Defensively, five starters are back, including defensive lineman Maason Smith, who is coming off an ACL injury, and linebacker Harold Perkins. Kelly and LSU will look to build on the highs of last season – and eliminate the lows – and if they are able to do that, the November matchup will be a good one.

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