Game Time:  3:30 EDT,  Saturday, September 4th, 2021

Venue: Mercedes Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia

Where to Watch:  ABC

 

WYNNBET:  Alabama -18.5  O/U 61.5 points

MoneyLine:  Alabama -850,  Miami +550

Alabama: 0-0 first game of season/   last year- undefeated (SEC)

Miami:  0-0  first game of season/    last year- 8-3  (ACC)

 

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Alabama was 13-0 last season.  Star Players Mac Jones QB, RB Najee harris, WR DeVonta Smith all won awards and got drafted into the NFL.  They’ve been replaced by Bryce Young QB, RB Brian Robinson Jr, WR John Metchie III.  Bama beat the Ohio State Buckeyes in the national Championship game.

 

 Miami was 8-3 last season.  They were invited to the Cheez-it Bowl where they lost to Oklahoma State 37-34. The same game that quarterback D’Eriq King tore his ACL in.   

 

Miami Quarterback D'Eriq King is coming off an ACL injury.  He is an uber-talented QB with 32 career starts, he has 9601 total yards, 110 touchdowns.  He is talented.  The question of whether there will be any rust or collision fear since the ACL has yet to be answered.  Miami has 19 starters returning to the roster this year and King should be surrounded with talent… just not as much as Alabama.

 

Alabama named Bryce Young the starting QB.  Bryce completed 15 passes in 2020 for 156 yards.  People who think Bryce will need some time don’t quite understand how the Alabama program works.  They stockpile top quarterback talent… and the BEST ones wait their turn.  Jalen became Tua became Mac Jones became Bryce Young.  

Alabama gets into shootouts.  They outscore everybody.  The defense isn’t the focus. Still the defense is pretty great, only giving up 19 points a game last year… better than Georgia, Texas A&M

 

Head Coach Manny Diaz made multiple position switches with his defense.  Keontra Smith moved to linebacker, Amari Carter to Striker, Jalen Harrell moved from safety to cornerback... and apparently their pass defense should be much improved.  

The Alabama Crimson Tide won the SEC Championship and the National Championship, mowing down opponents in a perfect season that netted wide receiver DeVonta Smith the Heisman Trophy over Trevor Lawrence.  Quicker than you can say Mac Jones they re-loaded with 5-star freshmen recruits all over the roster!  Winner, winner chicken dinner, Bama can’t be beat!... Well they can… but not for some season opener in September in THEIR home away from home the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where they just won a big Bowl Game,  where they are unbeaten since a silly loss to Florida State in 2017.  The Miami Hurricanes were 8-3 last season and are loaded with athletes!, but they can’t handle the talent!  Sorry Canes.

The Prediction for Alabama vs Miami Saturday, September 4th is:  Alabama 48, Miami 22

 

 

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Alabama has beaten Miami 14 out of 17 times going all the way back to 1941.

Alabama:

Quandarrius Robinson  LB, DUI three-car wreck,  should miss the game.

DeMarcco Hellams (ankle)  Questionable

Miami:

D’Eriq King QB, may have dinged his knee, but is expected to play.

Donald Chaney Jr  RB,  Undefined injury, Questionable

Avantae Williams, S,  Disciplinary, Out Indefinitely.

 

Bama:  Bryce Young.  A new quarterback at Alabama means we can start the NFL mock Draft stuff now.  Alabama Quarterbacks each come with a unique opportunity.  They will be put behind a great line and given great weapons.  They are expected to be on the Heisman watch list and to win a National Championship.  Anything that falls short in Bryce’s next couple of years is total failure.  The last 3 starting quarterbacks for Alabama will open the 2021 season as starters in the NFL  (Jalen, Tua, Mac)

 

Canes:  Charleston Rambo.  The owner of college football’s coolest name is a Cedar Hill, Texas product that transferred over from Oklahoma.  He was a four-star recruit by ESPN and Rivals coming into college and put up 1,180 yards in 76 catches and 9 TD’s for Oklahoma in limited action.  He came to Miami to get some run as a starter.  He’ll need to show up and show out!

 

"The offensive line is all back intact," -Nick Saban

 

“Zach’s just had a super year. From the day I walked in here to now, the guy’s just done everything you’d want. He’s done extra. He’s really, really improved himself as a player” - Defensive Line Coach Jess Simpson about defensive end star Zach McLoud

 

Alabama

QB – Bryce Young
RB – Brian Robinson Jr.

WR's – John Methchie III, 
WR. -Jameson Williams 
WR - Slade Bolden 

TE – Cameron Latu

LT – Evan Neal

LG – Javion Cohen

C – Chris Owens or Darrian Dalcourt

RG – Emil Ekiyor Jr.

RT – Kendall Randolph

Miami

QB D’Eriq King

RB Cam’Ron Harris

WR Keyshawn Smith

WR Charleston Rambo

WR Mike Harley

TE Will Mallory

LT Zion Nelson

LG Jalen Rivers

C  Corey Gaynor

RG  Navaughn Donaldson

RT  DJ Scaife Jr

 

 

 

Coaches

Alabama:  Nick Saban

Miami:  Manny Diaz

 

Partly cloudy, 84* as a high, 54% humidity, 5 mph winds.