Alabama has some momentum. The team was facing a storm of doubt from outsiders after the loss to Ole Miss and the lackluster performance against Louisiana Monroe. However, that all changed when the team dominated Georgia. The team came in as underdogs to the higher-ranked Bulldogs and simply dominated in all areas of the game. Now, Arkansas comes in as the underdogs in Tuscaloosa looking to do the same thing.
Just two weeks after committing five turnovers to Ole Miss, Alabama went up against Georgia and beat the team with a 38-10 win. Jake Coker did a better job of protecting the ball while freshman receiver Calvin Ridley stepped up as a big playmaker for the team. Derrick Henry got the run game moving early which made all of the difference. It was the most complete win the Tide have had all season as they scored in every area of the game. However, now the challenge is responding to the momentum and keeping it going.
Alabama is now favorites over an Arkansas team in desperate need of a solid win. The team ended their three-game losing streak by beating Tennessee. The Razorbacks have struggled this year losing to teams like Tulane, but they figured it out against the Volunteers. Alex Collins got all of the offensive credit with 154 yards rushing and two touchdowns while Rawleigh Williams ran for another 100 yards. Rushing against the Alabama defense could be much harder. The team kept Nick Chubb quiet while facing Georgia.
The game against these two teams was certainly memorable last season. It was close as the Tide was fresh off a loss to Ole Miss. They pulled away in the end getting the 14-13 win. The Razorbacks certainly have the talent to do that again as they aim to upset the Tide at home. Alabama is vulnerable and must remain mistake free like they were against Georgia. Much of the offense's success will be on the shoulders of Coker and Henry as they must keep the offense balanced. The bread and butter of the Razorbacks is their run game. The defensive front of the Tide have their work cut out for them.