This is exactly the way you draw it up.

Alabama playing home-and-home in nonconference play is something that we went a decade without. Now, though, we’re making up for lost time.

Last year’s showdown between Alabama and Texas in Austin delivered in ways that few thought was possible. After entering as a 3-touchdown underdog, Texas led in the final minute despite the fact that starting quarterback Quinn Ewers was sidelined late in the first quarter (more on that in a bit). Alabama needed a vintage Bryce Young drive to set up a go-ahead field goal.

This year’s showdown won’t feature Young or a 3-touchdown spread. Alabama is a touchdown favorite at home against the upset-hopeful Longhorns. It’s as trendy of a preseason upset pick as any. Why? Alabama started the season outside of the top 3 of the AP Poll for the first time since 2009, while Texas was the preseason Big 12 favorite for the first time since 2009.

So what gives on Saturday night in Bryant-Denny Stadium? Let’s get into it.

1. Welcome to the big time, Jalen Milroe

To say that Saturday night’s game is monumental for Milroe’s future would be an understatement. It’s monumental for Alabama’s offense as a whole. If Milroe plays the best game of his career, the rest of the college football world (and perhaps even a good chunk of Alabama fans) will be doing a total 180 on the well-documented quarterback situation in Tuscaloosa.

Some were sold on Milroe after seeing what he did against Middle Tennessee. It was a low-volume passing game, but Milroe still looked confident and improved. He wouldn’t have won the starting job without that offseason development. It’s possible that Milroe struggles Saturday, similar to his performance against Texas A&M last season in his lone start against Power 5 competition. Filling in for the injured Bryce Young, Milroe’s pocket presence struggles played a major part in the Tide playing in a down-to-the-wire game against a 5-7 Aggies squad.

This Texas front figures to be a much bigger challenge than that young A&M group. Longhorns DL Byron Murphy and LB Jaylan Ford are a pivotal piece of this Texas buzz. Their ability to keep Milroe from escaping the pocket and making that home-run play is key. We know that Milroe can do that with his legs and his arm.

In last year’s game, we saw Texas DC Pete Kwiatkowski do an excellent job of confusing Young. Throwing windows only opened up if Young escaped pressure. It felt like he was running for his life all game, and with a group of receivers who had issues getting separation, the passing game was held in check (213 yards, 1 TD pass).

Milroe and Young are extremely different players because of what they want to do. Young’s ideal scenario was staying behind the line of scrimmage and using his mobility to attack downfield. Milroe, so far in his career, appears much more content to tuck it and run in those spots. Over-pursue and you can pay the price. Alternatively, get home with 4 and you can be set up for success.

Alabama OC Tommy Rees will be tasked with putting Milroe in the right spots and figuring out the right way to get the first-year starter in rhythm. Is that by calling a designed run for him and letting him take on a linebacker? Is it a quick-hitting slant out of an RPO? Is it uncorking a 60-yard bomb? Whatever that is, the trust between Rees and Milroe will have to be on full display.

A major test awaits Milroe. If he passes it with flying colors, the preseason skepticism of the Tide offense will fade in an instant.

2. Texas killer and Texas native Jase McClellan has a prime opportunity, too

Alabama’s lone touchdown drive in the first 50 minutes of last year’s game wasn’t so much a drive as it was an 81-yard touchdown run by McClellan.

On a day in which Alabama struggled to string together first downs, McClellan provided a pivotal early play. He has another chance to bring frustration to his home-state school.

Would anyone be surprised if Alabama ran the ball 50 times? They shouldn’t be after an offseason expectation to return to “joyless murderball.” McClellan is a big piece of that. He might not exactly be some bruising back like the ones that Alabama has had in years past, but Saban’s offensive line has never been bigger, and perhaps it’s never had a bigger chip on its shoulder. Running behind a group that averages 339 pounds, McClellan should get some big holes to run through.

The Longhorns got off to an ideal start defending the run. Allowing just 27 yards on 25 carries was impressive, albeit against Rice. This challenge is obviously in a different stratosphere. One would think Texas will deploy extra defenders in the box like Arkansas transfer Jalen Catalon. Going hat-on-hat with the Tide’s offensive front probably won’t be enough.

McClellan only played 20 snaps in the blowout win to open the season. Could that have been a decision to conserve him as much as possible ahead of a heavy workload against Texas? Absolutely.

A splash play or 2 like last year would go a long way to completing the series sweep.

3. Hopefully Quinn Ewers stays healthy, but the play that got him hurt is the schematic mindset that Alabama needs

For those of us without a rooting interest, seeing Ewers get hurt after taking a hit from Alabama LB Dallas Turner was a bummer. He was on fire in that first quarter, and Turner’s hit certainly changed the course of that day, and perhaps Ewers’ first season as a starter.

Ewers is back and healthy for the rematch, as is Turner. But Turner is working with a new defensive coordinator in Kevin Steele. There’s an expectation that Turner will get more opportunities to rush the passer. It was only 1 week, but against Middle Tennessee, Turner’s snap count reflected that:

  • Pass-rusher: 19 snaps
  • Run-defender: 15 snaps
  • Coverage: 10 snaps

Good. Turner’s best trait is his ability to pin his ears back and rush the passer. It’s why he had 4 quarterback hits in the opener. Compare that to the 9 total quarterback hits he had in the entire 2022 season, 1 of which was that play on Ewers.

Those are the spots that Alabama has to put Ewers in. Yes, his ability to throw off-platform is one reason he was the highest-rated quarterback recruit ever in the 247sports rankings. Lord knows he’ll make a handful of plays on the move on any given fall Saturday.

But Turner winning 1-on-1 battles off the edge is going to speed Ewers up and perhaps force him into a pivotal mistake or 2.

4. Alabama need not forget about AD Mitchell again

Earmuff it, Alabama fans.

If Stetson Bennett IV doesn’t connect with AD Mitchell at the end of the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship, the Tide probably would’ve repeated.

Outside of some more postseason heroics in 2022, we really haven’t seen much of Mitchell since that catch because he was hurt for most of the season. Now, though, Mitchell is healthy and at Texas. Georgia’s Playoff hero already has a touchdown in his new home.

I would assume that we’ll see a lot of Kool-Aid McKinstry on Texas star receiver Xavier Worthy, and it’ll be Terrion Arnold who gets the most looks at Mitchell. Alabama came out of the opener a bit banged up in the secondary with  Malachi Moore and Jaylen Key day-to-day heading into Saturday. Depth could be an issue.

Whoever is out there will need to make sure that Mitchell doesn’t have another game-changing play on a big stage.

5. Let’s not dismiss how prestigious a win at Alabama is

When elite college football venues are discussed, Alabama is often left out of that top tier because of the belief that fans are spoiled. To be fair, every fan base who watched their team play in 9 championships in a 14-year stretch would be spoiled.

But think about this: Since the start of the 2008 season, here are the 5 teams that beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa:

  • 2010 Auburn: Cam Newton, won a Heisman Trophy and a national title
  • 2011 LSU: Played in a national championship
  • 2012 Texas A&M: Johnny Manziel, won a Heisman Trophy
  • 2015 Ole Miss: Won a Sugar Bowl, finished with best AP Poll ranking in 46 years (No. 10)
  • 2019 LSU: Joe Burrow, won a Heisman Trophy and a national title

Three of those teams had Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks, 3 played in a national championship, 4 finished in the top 5 of the AP Poll and all of them finished in the top 10. Until we see actual signs of decay, winning in Tuscaloosa is still among the toughest feats in the sport. Maybe it’s the toughest. That’s a 99-5 record at home in that stretch.

Is Texas really about to join that group? Is this program, which declared it was “back” after a 4-loss season in 2018, about to do something that only 2019 LSU accomplished in the past 7 seasons? Is the program that hasn’t beaten an AP top-5 team since 2010 really about to end that drought against Nick Saban? Like, the guy who has never lost to a former assistant in Tuscaloosa? As in, the guy who hasn’t lost a nonconference game in 16 years?

In case you can’t tell, I have my doubts.

And a prediction … Alabama 35, Texas 14

I’m not buying it.

I’m not buying the notion that the Longhorns are about to take this massive step forward and show that they’re “back” by taking down the Tide. I don’t know that Texas is ready for the ground-and-pound style that this Alabama squad wants to play. I do know that this Alabama team would love nothing more than to show the college football world that it’s still very much a part of the national title conversation.

Saturday serves as a reminder that Saban hasn’t lost his fastball yet. He’ll have that entire locker room believing that everyone has a Texas upset predicted. It’s a throwback performance wherein Alabama never lets Texas off the mat. The most frustrated Saban gets is when his secondary allows a coverage bust for a long Texas touchdown in the midst of a 35-7 game that’s been over since halftime.

Alabama delivers its loudest regular-season statement since it went into LSU and shut out the unbeaten Tigers in Baton Rouge in 2018. Shoot, maybe this statement is even louder. Whatever the case, one thing is certain by night’s end.

The Tide hasn’t turned just yet.