Currently, the Tide is a 16 1/2 point favorite over the Razorbacks.
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Alabama will be playing the Arkansas Razorbacks tonight at home. Last year, the Razorbacks held Alabama to 223 yards of total offense, but the Tide rallied for the 14-13 win.
It’s another Saturday filled with college football. Ridley has the two longest catches of the season by a Tide wideout. He struggled to a combined 151 yards with four interceptions in the first two meetings but was much better last season, throwing for 246 yards. Arkansas has undergone large peaks and valleys with no SEC Championship Game appearances and has averaged 7.0 victories per season since 2007. However, Arkansas lacks a key ingredient that Alabama football has: Nick Saban. Nick Saban didn’t seem to appreciate the media’s premature obituaries for his program.
“We are what we are as an identity only if it happens on a continuum”, Saban said. They all are going to be a tough game.
Taylor has always been a powerful and strong player in Saban’s eyes. He invoked the Crimson Tide. “And (Arkansas) could make huge performs”.
Bielema and his staff have improved Arkansas’ recruiting in his three seasons. Still, the Razorbacks are at their best when they control the trenches. Not for the opposing team as we have seen all to often lately. They have just an endless supply of everything that you need. I feel we in all probability might’ve gotten to it a little bit earlier.
Alabama finished off a renovation of Bryant-Denny Stadium in 2010 that took capacity to 101,821 and further enclosed the roar of the crowd and piped in elephant sounds. “We want to go down there and beat those guys in their house on their homecoming”. “It was really neat”. You always have the next game. “But a very impressive place and tradition, and the elephant sounds and all that are pretty neat”. After an embarrassing performance against the Ole Miss Rebels, the Crimson Tide had a chance for redemption against Georgia last week. No Razorback has ever done it in four straight. They lost to Texas A&M in overtime.
Collins is the guy in the backfield as he has rushed for 656 yards and six touchdowns but Williams is a nice ancillary back.
This specific game is important to many people, and Saban said the players understand that and want to play well. “That was the definition of why the game was won, in my opinion”. I also remember [trainer] Dean Weber coming up to me and saying these dreaded words: ‘Darren’s out. “He was just a bruiser, a beast that game….” Until we beat them on the field, we’re not.
The Razorbacks have just one player from the state of Alabama and that is junior defensive end JaMichael Winston. “From the videos we watched in two-a-days to a few of the books we were asked to read”. To beat Alabama is to slay the giant, it’s thought.
The 2010 team, with Ryan Mallett at quarterback, had an excellent shot against the defending BCS champion and No. 1 Crimson Tide in Fayetteville on September 25. After a mediocre first couple games, the balance has returned to the Arkansas system in the last three.
This game features one of the most physical teams in the country in Alabama. “I think Saban had Bobby’s protection plan figured out”. The Crimson Tide will try to give their coach something to smile about when they host Arkansas on Saturday. “There were things he [Saban] could do with delayed blitzes”. Alabama is number one in the SEC for run defense.
BREAKOUT RECEIVERS: Both teams have had a receiver step up after injury troubles. The regimen includes the team wearing “Code Red” wristbands as a symbol of unity.
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“Alabama is Alabama”, Allen said.
