Coming off a home loss to Oklahoma and with lower-division Eastern Illinois visiting Saturday, number ten ranked Alabama will try to reclaim its rhythm before the Iron Bowl. Saturday represents the last chance for the Crimson Tide to tune up its game before the now all important Iron Bowl. Alabama’s Homecoming loss to Oklahoma means its path to the playoffs has narrowed. Beating Auburn the day after Thanksgiving is now considered a must win if the Tide wants to salvage its season. Head coach Kalen DeBoer addressed the frustration of kicker Conor Talty after a high snap that helped cost the Tide a field goal against the Sooners.
“The response and everything like that, not exactly what you want, but it's, it's also an understanding of, you know, how, how important it is to these guys, and they work together relentlessly in practice, I see it.”
The Crimson Tide won’t have a chance to strengthen their College Football Playoff positioning against Eastern Illinois (3-8), so the game is more about fine-tuning parts of their operation and staying healthy against an overmatched opponent.
“We have to use this week to continue to get better,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said. “That is the priority. That’s where our head needs to be in order for us to continue to have the outcomes we want.”
Eastern Illinois, which has lost six in a row, is 6-41 all time against teams from the Football Bowl Subdivision but has never beaten a team from a power conference.
Alabama’s 23-21 loss to the Sooners last week made things a bit tougher on the Tide, as far as playoff seeding goes, but they still control their own destiny for the Southeastern Conference title game and CFP.
The lackluster win against LSU and the loss to Oklahoma exposed a few areas that Alabama would like to clean up before closing the season at rival Auburn. In one way, this is a familiar spot. Alabama lost to Florida State in Week 1, beat Louisiana-Monroe 73-0 the following week and then won seven more games. The hope is the loss to Oklahoma has a similar effect.
Alabama lost the turnover battle for the first time this season against Oklahoma. The Tide had the best turnover margin (plus-10) in the SEC before last Saturday but were minus-three against the Sooners. Quarterback Ty Simpson has a turnover in six consecutive games, including a lost fumble in five in a row.Think you know who belongs in the Top 25?
Alabama debuted a new starting offensive line last Saturday with right tackle Wilkin Formby moving to right guard and freshman Michael Carroll starting at right tackle. The two played every snap. This Saturday is another chance to build cohesion with the new group, which is compounded by center Parker Brailsford’s foot injury.
“I think they did a pretty good job,” DeBoer said. “I thought there were things where our execution was certainly improved, and I thought Wilkin did a nice job getting off the ball. And Michael was out there competing. You know he’s going to give you everything he has.”
