By Kyle Golik
When Texas and Alabama met in the BCS National Championship game in the Rose Bowl in January of 2010, no one could have imagined the swing both programs would take.
Until that game, Texas was one of the nation’s most dominant programs. It had won a national championship in 2005 with Vince Young, and Colt McCoy had continued that tradition of success in an undefeated regular season. Alabama had spent much of the 2000s trying to return to the nation’s elite.
Tuscaloosa was a turnstile of coaches through the decade; men like Dennis Franchione, Mike Dubose, Mike Price, and Mike Shula came through town, and none lived up to expectations. Then Alabama, after several failed attempts to find a coach and after being turned down by Rich Rodriguez, landed their “white whale” in Nick Saban.
Saban, by the 2009 season, had the Crimson Tide firing on all cylinders. By the end of that game, it seemed like Alabama had usurped all the power Texas had.
Since that game, the reversal of fortunes has been stunning, as Texas has struggled to regain a foothold while Alabama has had a stranglehold on college football, winning six national championships under Saban.
Last season, Alabama narrowly escaped with a 20-19 win at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. It seemed to many that the Alabama program began to show some signs of decline. It was an un-Alabama-like performance where the team lacked discipline. The Crimson Tide was flagged for 15 penalties, and quarterback Bryce Young needed to make two key fourth-quarter plays when trailing 16-10 to escape with the win.
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Much like the 2010 BCS National Championship game, in last year’s contest, the Longhorns’ quarterback, Quinn Ewers, started off hot, going 9 for 12 for 134 yards, including a 46-yard strike to wide receiver Xavier Worthy. However, he was knocked out of the game, just like Heisman finalist Colt McCoy was a dozen years prior. Ewers’ replacement Hudson Card was efficient but wasn’t able to match the impact Ewers had to complete the upset, just like Garrett Gilbert in the title game.
This year, Ewers is healthy, and so is the rest of Texas’ key personnel. On the flip side, Alabama is banged up a bit, as the Crimson Tide lost two defensive backs during the Middle Tennessee State game in Week 1.
UAB transfer Jaylen Key, who had collected Alabama’s first turnover with an interception, and Malachi Moore went down with an injury while playing in special teams coverage.
Saban gave an update at his press conference Monday on both Moore and Key, “They’re both day to day, so it’s probably too early to tell what their circumstance will be,” Saban said. “Probably a couple of days until we figure it out. I don’t think either guy has long-term issues, but it’ll be interesting to see how they progress this week.”
Any injuries to defensive backs aren’t ideal for Alabama when you consider the vertical threats Texas possesses.
Wide receiver Xavier Worthy is fully healthy going into the Alabama game. Worthy spent the latter half of the season coping and playing with a broken hand. The all-conference receiver had seven receptions for 90 yards last week against Rice.
Complimenting Worthy is tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders, who might be the nation’s best tight end outside of Georgia’s Brock Bowers, and Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian feels Sanders has the best hands on the team. Sanders had a highlight 44-yard touchdown reception against Rice last week.
Ja'Tavion Sanders can MOVE?
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 2, 2023
Quarterback Quinn Ewers had a few rough spots against Rice but found his groove to finish 19 for 30 passing for 260 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for another score.
Ewers continued his streak of consecutive passes without an interception to 146, the fourth-longest streak in program history, and could pass both Sam Ehlinger and Major Applewhite if he has another 17 attempts without a pick.
Protecting Ewers is an experienced offensive line that returns all five starters and combined for a total of 2,143 pass-blocking snaps and allowed only eight sacks.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Longhorns are led by linebacker Jaylan Ford. Ford has been a turnover machine for Texas as of late, with seven turnovers collected in the last eight games, including five interceptions.
While Texas lost impact players on both sides of the ball from last season, notably running back Bijan Robinson, two impact freshmen may make big impressions in front of a national audience.
Running back CJ Baxter was the first freshman to start for Texas since Ricky Wiliams in 1995. Look for him to get a share of the touches. On defense, linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. was named on the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year watch list. The former five-star linebacker should be on a healthy rotation with David Gbenda. It will be a must-watch to see Hill and Ford on the field at the same time.
Texas will be playing a football game in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for the first time since 1902 on Saturday.
It is going in with talent at all levels and an Alabama roster that isn’t up to elite level that Crimson Tide fans have been accustomed to. This will be a statement game for Texas. It could ultimately be a role reversal between Texas and Alabama. After this game, it could either be Texas can be messed with, or don’t mess with Texas. I expect it to be the latter.
