The Alabama Crimson Tide’s future looks bright with a another crop of top-rated recruits opting to play under Nick Saban. But will the future start producing in 2015 for the Crimson Tide, who saw some of the leaders of last season’s offense depart for the NFL? Or will this season be the year Alabama haters can exercise their schadenfreude? Read on for an overview of Alabama’s key player this coming season along with the team’s key game, best/worst scenarios and a complete list of the Crimson Tide’s 2015-2016 schedule.
For more college football, click here for a preview of Ohio State’s season and here for the early Heisman Trophy candidates.
[sc:NCAAFArticles ]2015-2016 Alabama College Football Preview
Overview
[sc:NCAA240banner ]In retrospect, Alabama’s loss to Ohio State in last year’s College Football Playoff becomes even bitterer for Crimson Tide because that game proved to be the last time T.J. Yeldon and Amari Cooper would don the crimson and white. It was also the last game of quarterback Blake Sims, who set a school record for most passing yards in a season back in 2014.
But even with the loss of those top tier talents, Alabama remains a favorite to win the SEC at odds of +200 and among the frontrunners to cop the national title with a price of +700. Don’t look puzzled, though. We all know how good Alabama is when it comes to wooing elite recruits to play at Tuscaloosa. In fact, Saban’s slick courting skills has given Alabama the second-ranked recruitment class per Rivals.com.
Key Player – Jake Coker/David Cornwell
Like so many schools, Alabama is in the middle of deliberation about who will be its starting quarterback this coming season. But whether it’ll be Jake Coker or David Cornwell, expect the winner of this quarterback battle to play with a chip on his shoulder. The departures of Amari Cooper and DeAndrew White left Alabama with no definite alpha dog downfield, leaving the eventual starter the job of sorting out the star from the current wide receiver set.
Coker was the starter early last season before Sims took over. Coker finished the 2014 campaign with 403 passing yards and four touchdowns on 38-for-59 (64.4%) passing. Cornwell, meanwhile, played for just one game with Florida State in 2014, completing 12-for-18 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown in the Seminoles’ lopsided 48-14 win over lightly regarded Western Carolina.
Key Game – @ Auburn (Nov. 28)
It’s the Iron Bowl so it’s good enough of a reason to make this matchup the most anticipated of all in Alabama’s schedule. But let’s not stop there. Remember, the last time Alabama was at Jordan-Hare Stadium, Saban’s decision to go for a field goal caused every Crimson Tide fan to evaporate into thin air. Add the possible repercussions of this game to the SEC West, the SEC championship game, and the CFP and this game should be a whole lot bigger.
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Best/Worst Case Scenario for the Season
Best Case Scenario
Saban looks like the John Calipari of college football, as he brings Alabama’s green and overhauled offense into the CFP for the second year in a row. Unlike Calipari, though, Saban and the Crimson Tide complete the job by copping the program’s third national title since 2011.
Worst Case Scenario
The loss of key talents on offense prove too much for Saban’s bunch to fill in in such a short time. The defense remains the monster that it was last season, leading ‘Bama to some key wins over elite competition. But without a great offense to complement Alabama’s defense, the Crimson Tide lose to teams with equally top-notch defenses like Ole Miss or Arkansas. In the end, ‘Bama’s overall 10-4 record won’t be enough to give the team a berth in the CFP.
Complete Schedule
| DATE | OPPONENT | TIME |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, Sept 5 | vs Wisconsin | 8:00 PM ET |
| Saturday, Sept 12 | vs Mid Tennessee | 4:00 PM ET |
| Saturday, Sept 19 | vs Ole Miss | 9:15 PM ET |
| Saturday, Sept 26 | vs UL Monroe | TBD |
| Saturday, Oct 3 | @Georgia | TBD |
| Saturday, Oct 10 | vs Arkansas | TBD |
| Saturday, Oct 17 | @Texas A&M | TBD |
| Saturday, Oct 24 | vs Tennessee | TBD |
| Saturday, Nov 7 | vs LSU | TBD |
| Saturday, Nov 14 | @Mississippi State | TBD |
| Saturday, Nov 21 | vs Charleston Southern | TBD |
| Saturday, Nov 28 | @Auburn | TBD |
Writer’s Prediction
Alabama comes in second in the SEC West with a 5-3 conference record and misses the CFP.
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