No. 1 Alabama returns to Bryant-Denny Stadium Saturday to face Colorado State at 6 p.m. CT as the Crimson Tide plays in its final non-conference game before SEC play starts up next week. Here is everything you need to know about the Week 3 matchup:
The box
No. 1 Alabama vs. Colorado State
When: Saturday, 6 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN2
On the call: Mark Jones | Analyst: Rod Gilmore | Sideline: Quint Kessenich
Radio: Sirius Crimson Tide Sports Network | XM TBD
Line: -28 1/2 Alabama, O/U set at 53 1/2\
Talking points
Can Alabama limit Colorado State's passing attack?
According to Nick Saban, Alabama’s secondary will face its toughest test to date this week in Colorado State quarterback Nick Stevens. Statistically speaking, the head coach has a point.
While he has an extra game on most of his competition, Stevens enters Saturday’s game as the nation’s leader in passing yards with 980 through three games. The senior has also completed 59.5 percent of his passes while throwing for six touchdowns and four interceptions.
“He does a great job of executing their offense,” Saban said Wednesday on the SEC Coaches Teleconference. “They do a lot of ‘check with mes,’ and he’s a smart player that gets them in the right play a lot. Very, very efficient in the passing game. They’ve got a lot of good concepts that they use, they’ve got good skill players, they create great balance on offense and he takes what the defense gives. And he’s a very accurate passer and probably, from a passing standpoint, maybe the most efficient guy we’ve played against so far this year.”
Stevens isn’t he only weapon in the Rams’ passing attack. Colorado State also features one of the nation’s top receivers in Michael Gallup. The 6-foot, 200-pound senior is tied for the nation’s lead with 26 receptions and has recorded 304 receiving yards and one touchdown through the air.
Colorado State is ranked No. 17 in the nation in passing offense, averaging 326.7 yards per game through the air. Although, Saban said that’s just one of the things Alabama will have to prepare for when game planning against the Rams.
“I think when you’re a coach, you focus on a lot of things,” Saban said. “We want to take care of the ball on offense, we want to execute in all segments of the game. You’re concerned about the good receiver, you’re concerned about the good quarterback, you’re concerned about the turnovers they get on defense. So, I think it’s unfair to ask me that I’m focused on one thing because there’s a lot of things to focus on.”
How will Alabama use Tua Tagovailoa?
Already fatigued by a barrage of injury questions during his Wednesday news conference, Saban was in no mood to give away any more secrets away heading into this weekends matchup.
