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3 Takeaways from Alabama’s lopsided win over MTSU

By Jake Mitchell

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - SEPTEMBER 02: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide during warms up prior to facing the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at Bryant-Denny Stadium on September 02, 2023 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - SEPTEMBER 02: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide during warms up prior to facing the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at Bryant-Denny Stadium on September 02, 2023 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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AUSTIN, TEXAS – SEPTEMBER 02: Head coach Steve Sarkisian of the Texas Longhorns arrives prior to the game against the Rice Owls at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 02, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TEXAS – SEPTEMBER 02: Head coach Steve Sarkisian of the Texas Longhorns arrives prior to the game against the Rice Owls at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 02, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

3. Texas comes to town next week

The big asterisk on this opening-week game is the elephant in the room of Texas. The Longhorns come to Tuscaloosa next weekend, and there’s no doubt that the Tide have an eye towards that affair. Even for a disciplined Saban squad, it’s tough to not look ahead to that game.

Steve Sarkisian, the former Alabama football offensive coordinator, is now the head coach at Texas, which certainly adds a personal touch to this contest.

The Longhorns handled their business in the season’s opening week, beating Rice by a dominant score of 37-10. Quinn Ewers had a three-touchdown day, and the game wasn’t even as close as the scoreline suggests. A garbage-time score got the Owls into double-digits.

These teams met a season ago, and Alabama escaped Austin with a 20-19 victory. A late penalty flag swung the momentum in a major way, and Texas comes into this matchup feeling like they have unfinished business.

This matchup is one of the biggest in this young college football season. If Alabama wins, they’ll be on the path to regaining their spot atop the SEC and the country. If the Tide loses, the questions about the end of the dynasty will just get louder than they already are.

Next. Ranking College Football's top 15 quarterbacks in 2023. dark

Week one was big for Alabama, but week two is absolutely huge.

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