Alabama enters its home opener against New Mexico State with some questions that need answering. Here are four.
1. Will Tua Tagovailoa throw four TD passes?
Tua Tagovailoa tossed four TD passes last week, the seventh time he’s done that in 16 starts. That ties AJ McCarron for a school record. The chances are pretty good Tagovailoa can have another four-TD game this weekend against the Aggies, provided he’s not pulled by halftime if the score gets out of hand.
2. Which happens first, 100-yards receiving or 100-yards rushing?
Last week Washington State thumped New Mexico State 59-7 and had a player with 100-plus receiving yards and another with 100-plus rushing yards. You can expect one, or both, to happen for Alabama this weekend. The question(s), which will happen first, and who will do it?
3. What about the other Tagovailoa?
We saw starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s younger brother Taulia take some snaps late in the game against Duke last week but he didn’t throw a pass. We might get to see more of him in action Saturday and not just handing the ball off to kill the clock. Can the younger Tagovailoa have a productive day?
4. How long before the crowd calls it a day?
The University of Alabama and Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban have expressed displeasure with fans and students leaving games early instead of sticking around to support the team. This season UA has implemented Tide Loyalty Points, which “rewards our students for attending and staying at home football games. In addition to attendance, points are also awarded for credit hours earned as a UA student.” We’ll see how this plays out on Saturday.
— Compiled by Edwin Stanton
