The Crimson Tide has had a 3:00 p.m. kickoff time and an 11:00 a.m. kickoff time this season at Bryant-Denny Stadium, both crowds have been less than enthused at the start of kickoff. Opening out of conference home games against New Mexico State and Southern Miss have been scorching hot and have each had predictable blowout outcomes. Alabama head football coach Nick Saban was recently asked about the appreciation he had for fans that were sticking it out at home games this season as the Crimson Tide is set to host Ole Miss at 2:39 p.m. CT on Saturday with another boiling home game on the horizon.

"My hats off to them, we really appreciate what they do," said Saban. "I don’t think anyone really realizes how difficult it is for the fans, how many issues that we really have. I wish that some of the TV people and the people from our conference would come to any stadium in these kinds of conditions and know that it’s really difficult for the fans. This is an entertainment business we are in. People come to see the games because they enjoy Alabama football, and they enjoy the tradition, but they also want to be entertained and see good football, and I think when the circumstances and conditions of the game are very difficult for them, I think you negate some of those positives."

As Alabama trounced another opponent in week four, empty seats loomed throughout the stadium and the student section was 10% full if that. It’s a very strange paradox as the team is almost too good, playing opponents they are favorited to beat by more than five scores. Combine that with kickoff times that have had heat indexes of over 95 and 100 degrees, it makes for a non-entertaining sporting event.

150 miles to the east of Tuscaloosa in Athens, Georgia in week four 93,246 fans, the biggest fan attendance to ever watch a game at Sanford Stadium roared as the No. 3 Bulldogs defeated No. 7 Notre Dame 23-17. It was an electric fan base, the game was at night, the game was on primetime, but should fans only show up at night or against top-ranked competition?

882 miles northwest of Tuscaloosa in Lincoln, Nebraska the unranked Cornhuskers hosted Northern Illinois where 89,593 fans were in attendance, same of their opener against South Alabama. Those games were legitimate sell-outs with actual fans in the stands.

Game time temperatures

It's always been hot in Tuscaloosa during the late summer and early fall, but the first two home games at Bryant-Denny Stadium have been miserably hot. Against New Mexico State in week two, the heat index soared past 100 degrees sending several people who attended the game to the hospital with heat-related issues. The second home game of the season had a heat index of over 95 degrees. This coming Saturday as Alabama hosts their SEC opener against Ole Miss with a kickoff time of 2:39 p.m. CT, the kickoff temperature could be floating around 95 degrees.

Weak competition

Alabama's front schedule has been soft to put it lightly. Alabama opened on the road as the home team in Atlanta, Georgia against Duke, then hosted New Mexico State, and in week four they hosted Southern Mississippi. The schedule for the home games continues to be filled with non-interesting matchups for the next month with the Crimson Tide hosting Ole Miss this weekend, followed by hosting Arkansas and Tennessee in October.

A complacent fan base

Almost every fan or resident you speak with in Tuscaloosa County knows the outcome of the game before it's happened. Alabama will win by a big margin which doesn't create any level of excitement.

The greatest coach in the history of college football

Nick Saban who will turn 68-years old this October 31 won't coach forever. Since his tenure at Alabama, the Crimson Tide has won five national championships and he already has a bronze statue in front of the stadium.

The greatest quarterback in Alabama football history

Tagovailoa has accumulated 5,902 passing yards in 28 career games to rank fifth all-time at Alabama and his five touchdown passes against Southern Miss, not only tied his career-high but also marked the ninth time he has thrown for four or more touchdowns in a game during his career. On the season, Tagovailoa has thrown for 1,300-yards with 17 touchdowns and zero interceptions.

9 projected 1st round NFL draft picks

This is no doubt a special team to watch in action and Walter Camp Football projects that Alabama could have as many as nine players from this current roster will be selected in the 1st round of the 2020 NFL Draft.