SEC starts their season this weekend. The #2 Alabama Crimson Tide will travel to Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium to take on the Missouri Tigers Saturday at 6 PM CST on ESPN. The Tide finished 11-2 last year while the Tigers went 6-6. It’s Nick Sabin’s 14th year as the Tide head coach. This is the first game as Tiger head coach for Eliah Drinkwitz. This is the seventh meeting in the series with Alabama leading 4-2.
The Tide are returning 18 starters and 55 lettermen for the 2020 season, including eight starters on the offensive side. Even with the departure of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who is on the Miami Dolphins, quarterback Mac Jones will be ready to go. Jones took over last year when Tagovailoa was hurt. Jones threw for 1,503 yards and 14 touchdowns to just three interceptions.
Running back Najee Harris returns for his senior campaign. A season ago, he rushed 209 times for 1,224 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also had 27 receptions for 304 yards and seven touchdowns.
Jones won’t have Jerry Jeudy (Denver Broncos) or Henry Ruggs III (Las Vegas Raiders) to throw to, but he does have Devonta Smith (68 rec. 1,256 yards and 14 TDS), and Jaylen Waddle (33 rec. 560 yards, and six touchdowns) back this year.
Alabama only surrendered 242 points last year (18.6 a game).
For coach Drinkwitz and the Tigers, having to face Alabama is a tough draw for the first game of the season. The Tigers are 83-41-5 all-time in its season openers, including winning 20 of the last 23.
The Tiger defense finished 14th nationally in total defense last year. Preseason All-SEC linebacker Nick Bolton had 107 tackles last season, leading the team. Also, coming back on defense is the safety duo of Tyree Gillespie and Joshuah Bledsoe. Gillespie is a 2020 second-team All-SEC pick after 50 tackles last year with a sack and seven pass breakups. Bledsoe had 49 tackles with ten pass breakups, a team-high. He also had a fumble recovery and forced a fumble.
On offense, running back could be a strong point of the Tigers this year. Larry Rountree III enters the season 6th on the all-time list in Tigers history for rushing yards. He has 2,748 yards on 450 carries. He’s a third-team selection this year for the All-SEC team. He needs 450 yards to become the team’s all-time leading rusher by a non-quarterback. He finished last year with 829 yards on the ground on 186 carries and nine touchdowns.
Tyler Badie had 928 all-purpose yards last season with 457 coming on the ground and three touchdowns. He led Mizzou with 32 catches for 356 yards and five touchdowns.
