Five observations on Alabama's 2021 schedule
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Alabama’s complete 2021 schedule was revealed Wednesday. After going undefeated in a reconfigured 10-game all-conference schedule last season, the Crimson Tide will return to its typical eight-game SEC slate as part of 12 regular-season games this year.
This year’s group of games consists of a neutral-site opener against Miami in Atlanta as well as seven games inside of Bryant-Denny Stadium and four games on the road.
Here are five observations on Alabama’s upcoming schedule.
Three teams will face Alabama after an open week
As usual, Alabama enters this season with a target on its back. On top of the extra attention, several of the Tide’s opponents will have added rest as well.
Alabama will face three teams — Ole Miss, Mississippi State and LSU — who will all have an open week before facing the Tide. Alabama is the only SEC team to face three opponents coming out of open weeks.
The scheduling quirk is nothing new for Alabama, which played six teams coming off of open weeks during the 2010 season. That being said, the Tide lost two of those games en route to one of its most disappointing seasons in the Nick Saban era.
While inconvenient, Alabama should be able to manage the scheduling quirk. It’s worth noting that the Tide beat Ole Miss, LSU and Mississippi State by a combined 159-65 last season.
Alabama will have an open week heading into its game against LSU, putting both teams on equal footing. The Tide likely won’t have to exert much energy to take down Southern Miss before it faces Ole Miss either. The toughest matchup of the bunch comes in Alabama’s trip to Mississippi State as the Tide will be fresh off what figures to be a challenging game at Texas A&M the week before.
A pair of early tests
Alabama’s reloaded offense will have to gel quickly as the Tide is set to face two early challenges in the first month of the season. Alabama will open up against Miami in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta before making a trip to the Swamp for a rematch of the SEC Championship Game against Florida in Week 3.
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