The Crimson Tide of Alabama, slipping slightly in the polls, take on a second consecutive non-power conference opponent at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday when they host Southern Miss. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. ET, with television coverage on ESPN2 and streaming access on WatchESPN.
How to watch USM vs. Alabama: Game guide, TV/streaming, odds
One team almost never loses. The other almost never wins. There will be blood.
Despite a 41-0 win over Florida Atlantic last week, Alabama was overtaken by Oregon in the AP Poll. The Tide remain firmly in the mix for the College Football Playoff, however, with running back T.J. Yeldon leading a potent ground attack. Nick Saban would like to choose a starting quarterback before opening the SEC season against Florida next week, but both Blake Sims and Jake Coker were impressive last week against Florida Atlantic.
Southern Miss, which evened its record at 1-1 with a 26-20 win over Alcorn State last week, has finished celebrating its first home win in over two years. The Golden Eagles could be in for a rude awakening Saturday. Sophomore quarterback Nick Mullens has completed just 41 of 75 pass attempts so far this year, but has also been the most effective offensive weapon Southern Miss has had.
How to witness
TV: 6 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Online streaming: WatchESPN
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The numbers
Rankings and records: Alabama is undefeated, ranked No. 3 in the AP Poll, and holding at No. 2 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Southern Miss is unranked at 1-1.
Vegas: Unsurprisingly, Alabama is a massive favorite. The Crimson Tide are favored by 48 points, one point better than the opening line of 49.. The over/under is set at 56.
Weather forecast: Potential rain during the day should be gone by kickoff, with temperatures around 80 degrees at 6 p.m.
Two things at stake
Alabama has not lost a regular season non-conference game since 2007 and has not lost to a non-conference opponent at Bryant-Denny Stadium since 2003. Both streaks are on the line.
Southern Miss has won two of its last three games, stopping a 23-game losing streak with a victory in the 2013 season finale at UAB and following it with last week’s win over Alcorn State. Beating the Crimson Tide would make slightly more news than knocking off Alcorn State, though.
One big matchup
Alabama vs. Las Vegas: A 48-point spread coupled with a 56-point total shows that Vegas does not give Southern Miss much of a chance of (1) stopping Alabama’s offense, or (2) finding the end zone. Mississippi State’s 49-0 win over the Golden Eagles earlier this season, coupled with Alabama’s 41-0 shutout of Florida Atlantic last week, make a Crimson Tide cover and under possible, but the needle will be very difficult to thread.
Further reading
For further information on Alabama, visit Roll Bama Roll. Underdog Dynasty covers Southern Miss and the rest of Conference USA.
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