The SEC on CBS invades Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Saturday as No. 1 Alabama and Texas A&M square off in a huge SEC West matchup that will have vast implications over the remainder of the season. It will be the first time that Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher have met as SEC foes and only the second meeting ever between the two former co-workers (Fisher was Saban's offensive coordinator at LSU).
Saban, who has never lost to a former assistant coach, is up 1-0 after Alabama's 24-7 win against Florida State in last year's season opener. Fisher is coming off a big showing for his Aggies two weeks ago against Clemson; though Texas A&M ultimately lost that game, the team showed way more fight than many expected to see from TAMU in Fisher's first year. What does that mean for Saturday? Let's find out.
Viewing information
Date: Saturday, Sept. 22 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Bryant-Denny Stadium -- Tuscaloosa, Alabama
TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App
Storylines
Texas A&M: Can the Aggies bring that same energy on the road in Tuscaloosa? Texas A&M did a fantastic job of playing Clemson right down to the final moments in College Station, and now they face another playoff favorite just two weeks later with the increased difficulty of A) it being Alabama and B) no longer being in the friendly confines of Kyle Field with the 12th Man. One thing is for sure: Texas A&M will have to create explosive plays on offense to keep pace with the Tide and luckily from what we've seen, Kellen Mond is up to the task.
Alabama: This is the toughest opponent Alabama has faced all year, and it still remains a favorite of more than three touchdowns. Can the Tide avoid a letdown performance? It feels like the kind of game that might see Alabama spin its wheels for a quarter or two and ultimately win by 14 with Saban furious about all the errors. But what if the offense goes and puts up 50 again? The first three weeks have hinted that we're dealing with offensive dominance that has no equal in the Saban era, but Texas A&M is one of a handful of opponents on the schedule with the horses to really put that group to the test.
Game prediction, picks
Alabama isn't just covering the spread here in the early season, it's obliterating the limits to which bookmakers feel comfortable setting these lines. The Tide are 3-0 against the number and not a single game has been a sweat, covering by 13 points, 13 points and 32.5 points (vs. Ole Miss). At under four touchdowns this might be a spot where the market, still awaiting that letdown game, hasn't caught up to the Tua train. Pick: Alabama -26.5
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