Alabama Football vs Florida State: 3 Things to watch
In a game we’ve been waiting for since January, Alabama football takes on Florida State in a game that truly signifies the start of the college football season.
This is the game college football has been waiting for since January:
Nick Saban’s No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide will take on Jimbo Fisher’s No. 3 Florida State Seminoles. The only thing this matchup is missing is it being No. 1 vs No. 2, but the AP Poll thought otherwise. Either way, the matchup will feature two of the teams that are supposed to be in the College Football Playoff in the end of the year.
Alabama has ruled the SEC for the last decade and usually comes out of the ever-dangerous SEC West. Florida State is supposed to take over the ACC and the ACC Atlantic given the departure of former Clemson Tigers’ quarterback Deshaun Watson.
From all college football fans, thank you Chick-fil-a and the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for holding this monumental college football game. Now, here are three things to watch for during Alabama vs Florida State this Saturday.
1. Raekwon Davis‘ health
Right under our nose after the Mayweather-McGregor fight, another one of Saban’s defensive lineman was at the wrong place at the wrong time.
The Tuscaloosa News reported that 20-year old sophomore defensive lineman Raekwon Davis’ availability against Florida State might be in jeopardy. A stray bullet hit Davis outside of a bar near the Alabama campus early Sunday morning. He was later treated at a local hospital for a right leg wound. Nick Saban has said it does not seem to be serious, but it is a gunshot wound.
On the field, Davis was shooting up depth charts and was projected to start against the Seminoles. He had been steadily improving his play from his freshman year throughout camp. But now his start and maybe even an appearance is in the air. Even if he does play, how effective will he be? Florida State comes into the game with three returning starters on the offensive line. And those three returners are the center, right guard and the right tackle.
Expect Fisher to run toward Davis or his replacement’s side a lot throughout the game. When they run the opposite way expect many cut blocks on that right leg.