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Alabama Football: Preview, prediction, live stream vs. Mercer in Week 12

By Dana Becker

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide take the field against the Florida State Seminoles prior to their game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 2, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide take the field against the Florida State Seminoles prior to their game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 2, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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Alabama football steps out of SEC play a week before Iron Bowl, welcoming Mercer to Tuscaloosa this Saturday.

The Crimson Tide (10-0) will likely only play their starters for a half — or even shorter — with Auburn on deck.

Jalen Hurts and company should have no problem putting up at least 50 on Mercer (5-5), a member of the Southern Conference in the FCS.

Last week, Nick Saban’s crew avoided an upset by rallying to defeat Mississippi State on the road, 31-24. Calvin Ridley broke out for the first time this season, catching five passes from Hurts for 171 yards.

Hurts, meanwhile, finished with 282 yards passing and two touchdowns, with the biggest being a 26-yard catch and run by freshman DeVonta Smith for the game-winning points.

Damien Harris ran for 93 yards, with Hurts, Joshua Jacobs and Bo Scarbrough combining for 109 more.

Mercer is led by Tee Mitchell, who has 569 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. Kaelan Riley has thrown for just under 2,000 yards with 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Here’s how to watch Saturday’s Alabama vs. Mercer contest:

Date: Saturday, Nov. 18
Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Venue: Bryant-Denny Stadium
TV: SEC Network
Live Stream: WatchESPN

Keys to Victory

Plain and simple: just show up.

That’s really all the Crimson Tide have to do in this one. Step on the field, play hard for about a quarter and avoid anyone getting hurt before a winner-take-all meeting with rival Auburn for the division title.

Hurts, Harris and Ridley will all likely fail to reach the same stats they had last week, but that will only be because Saban takes them out before anything can happen.

The Mississippi State game showed the kind of character of this team, so expect them to come right out, maybe put up four touchdowns in the first quarter and coast home, allowing the reserves a chance to see ample playing time.

Next: NFL Mock Draft 2018: First round after Week 11 edition

Prediction

Well, considering Mercer isn’t even a top-level FCS team, this one is going to get ugly and ugly in a hurry. Alabama won’t want to play around with Auburn awaiting next week and Georgia after that if they get past the Tigers, so expected a sound effort from at least the starters and second-string before turning it over to the thirds and fourths.

Prediction: Alabama 56, Mercer 3

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