How to Watch Utah State at No. 1 Alabama

The Crimson Tide is set to host its first season opener at Bryant-Denny Stadium since 2011, when Nick Saban's alma matter Kent State visited.

This is one of the oddest stats you'll see all season. 

Even though Alabama hasn't played Utah State since 2005, there are three graduate seniors on the Aggies who have faced the Crimson Tide, including the starting quarterback.

While at Arkansas State in 2018, Logan Bonner was 6 of 14 passing for 53 yards, including a long of 26 yards, and rushed for 28 yards on three carries, including a long of 11 yards. Alabama won 57-7. 

Safety Gurvan Hall Jr. started against UA and recorded eight tackles for Miami in 2021. Alabama won the neutral-site game, 44-13.  

Safety Hunter Reynolds was on the Michigan team that faced the Crimson Tide in the 2020 Citrus Bowl. DT Phillip Paea was also on the Wolverines, but didn't play. Alabama 35-16. 

The combined score was 136-36. 

Also on the Aggies, is graduate junior wide receiver Xavier Williams, who spent four seasons at Alabama (2018-21) and appeared in 12 games, catching three passes for 24 yards. He did not have a reception in last week's season opener against UConn. 

There's bound to be some interesting conversations in the Utah State locker room this week. 

"Best team on the planet," Utah State coach Blake Anderson said about Alabama. "There are just no weaknesses."

How to Watch Utah State at No. 1 Alabama

Who: Utah State at Alabama 

When: 6:30 p.m., Saturday

Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium

TV: SEC Network 

Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)

Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network. Play-By-Play Chris Stewart, Analyst John Parker Wilson, Sideline Rashad Johnson, Host Cory Reamer). Sirius/XM: 81/81

Opening line per SI Sportsbook: Alabama -41.5; Over/under 62.5

2022 Alabama Football Early Opponent Preview: No. 9 Utah State

Series: Alabama leads 2-0 

Last Meeting: Oct. 29, 2005 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama won 35-3. The Crimson Tide improved to 8-0 for the first time since 1994.

Brodie Croyle threw three touchdown passes, to Ezekial Knight, Le'Ron McClain and D.J. Hall. 

Hall finished with 11 catches for 157 yards, becoming the first Alabama receiver to have back-to-back games with at least 10 receptions.

Kenneth Darby led the ground game with 149 yards on 15 rushes, and scored a 38-yard touchdown. 

"There's a reason that Alabama is No. 5," Utah State coach Brent Guy said, noting that his team "got the shock and awe slammed on us early."

The loudest cheers of the day happened before kickoff, when injured wide receiver Tyrone Prothro emerged from the locker room in a wheelchair four weeks after suffering his career-ending leg fracture and infection following surgery. 

Last Time Out: Alabama lost the national championship game, 33-18. 

Bonner was 20-for-29 passing for 281 yards and three touchdowns, while graduate senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr. gained a career-high 161 yards on a career-best 33 carries to lead Utah State to a season-opening 31-20 home win against UConn last Saturday.

"Well, it wasn't pretty, but it's a win," Anderson said. "One-and-oh."

Utah State scored 24 unanswered points to rally back from a 14-point first quarter deficit. Oddly, it has won seven games when trailing by 10 or more points under Anderson. 

About Utah State: Yes, the Aggies are 6-63 all-time against AP Top 25 teams, and 0-2 all-time against teams ranked No. 1 (at No. 1 BYU, 38-13, on Nov. 24, 1984, and lost at No. 1 Nebraska, 42-6, on Oct. 2, 1971).

But this is a different program now under Anderson. The Aggies went 12-3 last year, including its 46-13 win at No. 19 San Diego State in the Mountain West Championship Game. However, Anderson brought his quarterback with him from Arkansas State and had 19 returning starters. 

The Aggies returned seven starters on offense, 

SEC Schedule 

Thursday's Games

Ball State at Tennessee, 6 p.m. CT, SEC Network
Louisiana Tech Missouri, 7 p.m., ESPNU

Saturday's Games

Sam Houston at No. 6 Texas A&M, 11 a.m., SEC Network
No. 11 Oregon (3) vs. Georgia in Chick-fil-A Kickoff, Atlanta, Ga., 2:30 p.m,, ABC
No. 23 Cincinnati at No. 19 Arkansas, 2:30 p.m. ESPN
Troy at No. 21 Ole Miss, 3 p.m., SEC Network
No. 7 Utah at Florida, 6 p.m., ESPN
Miami (Ohio) at No. 20 Kentucky, 6 p.m., SEC Network+, ESPN+
Mercer at Auburn, 6 p.m., SEC Network+, ESPN+
Elon at Vanderbilt, 6 p.m., SEC Network+, ESPN+
Utah State at No. 1 Alabama, 6:30 p.m., SEC Network
Memphis at Mississippi St., 6:30 p.m., ESPNU
Georgia State at South Carolina, 6:30 p.m., SEC Network+, ESPN+
Florida State vs. LSU in Allstate Louisiana Kickoff, at New Orleans, 6:30 p.m., ABC