The Alabama Crimson Tide (0-0) will take on the Duke Blue Devils (0-0) in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game on Saturday inside Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Today, we have provided a very in-depth game preview to make sure you know everything heading into Week 1.
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Game Details
No. 2 Alabama (0-0) vs. Duke (0-0)
Saturday, August 31, 2:30 p.m. CT
TV: ABC
Line: -34 Alabama
Play by Play: Seve Levy, Analysts: Brian Griese and Todd McShay, Sideline: Molly McGrath
Game Headlines
Henderson: 5 things I'm watching during Alabama's opener
Observations from Saban's Presser
Five questions heading into Alabama's season opener against Duke
Key Injuries/Suspensions
Joshua McMillion - Alabama - ILB - ACL (season)
Dylan Moses - Alabama - ILB - ACL (season)
Trey Sanders - Alabama - RB - Foot (season)
Justin Eboigbe - Alabama - DL - Foot (questionable)
Najee Harris - Alabama - RB - Suspended 1st quarter/half
Brian Robinson - Alabama - RB - Suspended 1st quarter/half
Terrell Lewis - Alabama - OLB - Suspended 1st quarter/half
DeVonta Smith - Alabama - WR - Suspended 1st quarter/half
Koby Quansash - Duke - OLB - Thumb
Jake Bobo - Duke - WR - Collarbone
Returning Stat Leaders
Tua Tagovailoa - QB - Alabama - 3,966-yards with 43 touchdowns
Najee Harris - RB - Alabama - 783-yards with 4 touchdowns
Jerry Jeudy - WR - Alabama - 68 receptions with 1,315-yards with 14 touchdowns
Xavier McKinney - S - Alabama - 74 tackles with 2 interceptions
Anfernee Jennings - OLB - Alabama - 50 tackles with 5.5 sacks
Quentin Harris - QB - Duke - 437-yards with 7 touchdowns
Deon Jackson - RB - Duke - 847-yards with 9 total touchdowns
Dylan Singleton - S - Duke - 73 tackles
Key Recruits Visiting for Alabama
Staff Predictions
Alabama football by the numbers
82 - Alabama’s victory over Auburn in last year’s Iron Bowl marked the Crimson Tide’s 82nd consecutive win over an unranked team. The current streak was started during Nick Saban’s first season at Alabama in 2007 when the Crimson Tide beat Colorado in the Independence Bowl. Alabama’s last loss to an unranked team also occurred in 2007 when it fell to Auburn.
68 - Alabama has scored 68 non-offensive touchdowns in the Saban era. The Crimson Tide had seven last season — four by way of interception and one apiece from a fumble return, kick return and punt return. Two of those came during last season’s opener as Josh Jacobs returned a kickoff 77 yards for a touchdown while Shyheim Carter returned an interception 45 yards for a score.
60 - Alabama opens up the season at No. 2 in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25, marking the 60th consecutive week the Crimson Tide has appeared in the AP top 10. The streak is the largest of any team in the nation. Alabama’s last appearance outside of the top 10 occurred on Sept. 27, 2015 when the Crimson Tide was ranked No. 13 heading into a matchup against Georgia.
47 - According to College Football News, Alabama led all Division I teams with 47 “quality wins” from 2014-18. A quality win is defined as a victory over an FBS opponent that finished the season with a wining record. Clemson is next on the list with 44 such wins over that span, while Ohio State ranked third with 36.
17 - Alabama has won its last 17 season-openers, including all 12 opening games under Saban. The Crimson Tide has outscored its opponent 664-223 over that span, an average margin of 39-13. Alabama's last loss in an opener occurred in 2001 when the Crimson Tide fell 20-17 to UCLA.
7 - According to a release from Nation Football Foundation, this season’s Alabama roster will feature seven players who have earned their undergraduate degree already. Defensive back Shyheim Carter, outside linebacker Anfernee Jennings tight ends Giles Amos and Miller Forristall and offensive linemen Landon Dickerson, Chris Owens and Matt Womack will all be playing as graduates for the Crimson Tide.
Duke football by the numbers
75 - This season marks the 75th anniversary of Duke’s 1944 team which beat Alabama in the 1945 Sugar Bowl and closed out the year ranked No. 11 in the Associated Press poll. The meeting was the first between the two schools. Alabama has won the past three matchups in 1972, 2006 and 2010.
10 - Duke enters the year with just 27.70 percent of its receptions from the 2018 season. The Blue Devil’s leading returning receiver is sophomore Jake Bobo, who hauled in 10 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown last season.
7 - Duke heads into Saturday’s game having won seven straight season-openers. The Blue Devils have not won eight straight openers since a 14-game run from 1932-45.
6 - Former Duke quarterback Daniel Jones was drafted by the New York Giants with the No. 6 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft. Jones was a three-year starter for the Blue Devils, completing 59.9 percent of his passes for 8,201 yards with 52 touchdowns and 29 interceptions during his college career. He also added 1,323 yards and 17 scores on the ground.
3 - Duke has three bowl wins in the past four years, making it one of 15 Power 5 programs to accomplish the feat over that span. The Blue Devils trail only Alabama, Clemson and Wisconsin, which have each won four bowl games in the last four years.
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