This week we will examine five topics surrounding Alabama football while providing five points of interest for each item. Today we continue the series with a look at Alabama's schedule both next year as well as in seasons to come.
1. Will Alabama be challenged in the regular season?
Alabama should experience relatively smooth sailing on its path to a fifth straight College Football Playoff appearance, at least as far as the regular season is concerned. The Crimson Tide is more than a four-touchdown favorite for its season-opener against Louisville on Sept. 1 inside of Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla. It will also play Auburn, presumedly its toughest test, inside of Bryant-Denny Stadium.
So, does any team stand in front of Alabama on its road to the SEC Championship Game?
The best place to start is the team that kept the Crimson Tide from going to Atlanta last season. Auburn should have one of the better defenses in the SEC next season and returns Jarrett Stidham at quarterback, who some analysts have going in the first round of next year’s NFL Draft.
Stidham picked Alabama apart last season, completing 21 of 28 passes for 237 yards while adding 51 yards and a touchdown on the ground. The positive news for the Crimson Tide is that Auburn will be without running back Kerryon Johnson, who rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown while also throwing a 3-yard touchdown pass during last year’s Iron Bowl.
The team with the next best shot at taking down Alabama is LSU. Alabama will have to travel to Baton Rouge, La., which is always a tough environment. The Tigers will have two of the best defenders in the SEC in linebacker Devin White and cornerback Greedy Williams. However, they probably don’t have the offensive firepower to keep up with the Crimson Tide.
