Alabama vs. Texas game prediction, preview: Who wins, and why?

What to expect as Alabama and Texas meet in this Week 2 college football game with our updated predictions

One day, this will be a marquee SEC conference matchup once the Longhorns make the jump next summer, but for right now, this is a marquee non-conference game between two nationally-ranked, blue-blood foes as Texas hits the road against Alabama in college football's primetime Week 2 action on Saturday.

What can you expect from the matchup? Here's what you should watch for as Alabama and Texas square off along with our Week 2 game predictions.

Alabama vs. Texas prediction, preview

Alabama vs. Texas predictions / USA Today Images

How to watch

When: Sat., Sept. 9
Time: 6 p.m. Central
TV: ESPN network
Stream: fuboTV (Try for free)

Alabama vs. Texas game odds

Line: Alabama -7.5 (Track it live)
Total: 53.5 points
Moneyline: UA -300 | UT +220
FPI pick: Alabama 80.9%

Related: Alabama vs. Texas picks, predictions, Week 2 college football odds, lines

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What to watch for

Texas takes on Alabama in this Week 2 game / USA Today Images

Getting after the QB. Alabama always plays a physical brand of football in the front seven and this year the unit should have an edge going against the Longhorns' protection. Texas looked a little shaky in the opener against Rice at the line, allowing three sacks, four pressures, and eight negative plays. Dallas Turner leads a Tide pass rush that should have the advantage in this matchup. With an unproven rushing attack, Texas will rely heavily on Quinn Ewers to spread things out. That plan depends on him having a clean pocket and not having to throw on the run.

Spreading the field. Jahmyr Gibbs was the Tide's leading receiver in this game a year ago as the passing game failed to generate any consistent threat downfield. And while Alabama will rely heavily on Jalen Milroe's dual threat ability at quarterback, it can't rely on those plays alone and needs to create space to move the ball on longer gains to spread the coverage and free up lanes for its backs. There is plenty of potential with pieces like Jermaine Burton, the presumptive No. 1 target, in addition to Ja'Corey Brooks, Isaiah Bond, and Kobe Prentice, but the group still has plenty to prove.

Penalties. They were an issue for the Crimson Tide most of last season and helped contribute to their two losses. In the Texas game a year ago, Bama was flagged 15 times for 100 total yards, compared to the Longhorns' five penalties for 30 yards. Alabama has to play a cleaner game and avoid the procedural mistakes.

Texas has receivers. Ewers was able to hit receiver Xavier Worthy on gains of 46 and 22 yards before his injury in last year's meeting and this time around returns some top-flight receiving talent, including Worthy. Georgia transfer Adonai Mitchell and tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders are two crucial targets, both scoring TDs in the opener. But watch how well Ewers and his targets work in the deeper field; the QB didn't complete a pass over 20 yards against Rice and now goes up against defensive backs Caleb Downs and Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama's best options on the back end. Texas' offense can't live on screens alone.

Alabama vs. Texas prediction

Alabama vs. Texas game predictions / USA Today Images

Texas is going to move the football vertically early and often. Steve Sarkisian believes his team has an advantage with Ewers working against a Crimson Tide secondary that is dealing with some injury questions and has the pieces to get behind the coverage. Watch in particular how the battle between Worthy and McKinstry develops on the perimeter, and how well Ewers responds to the pass rush. A slow start on either front and Texas will have a long night.

The single player who should decide the game might be Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, the dual threat who accounted for five TDs in the opener and looked more confident moving the ball further down the field. His mobility will be the difference that frees up Alabama's play-calling to create some more unconventional looks that the Longhorns didn't see a year ago and could have trouble containing.

College Football HQ picks...

• Alabama wins 37-27
• Covers the spread
• And hits the over

Related: Alabama vs. Texas score prediction by college football computer

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