Alabama football schedule: Ranking the Crimson Tide's 2022 opponents

Once again, Alabama is the consensus preseason No. 1 team in college football.

Once again, Alabama figures to emerge as the consensus No. 1 preseason team in college football.

The defending SEC champions and College Football Playoff runners-up come into the 2022 season as odds-on favorites to qualify for the final four again and to make another run at the national championship.

What does the Crimson Tide's schedule look like on the way there?

Alabama is slated to play four home games and four away games in SEC play, hosting Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, and Auburn in the 87th Iron Bowl. Bama travels to LSU, Arkansas, Ole Miss, and Tennessee.

Things get interesting in the non-conference schedule: Bama hosts Utah State, Austin Peay, and UL Monroe, and travels to Austin, Texas to face off against the Longhorns and former Tide offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian.

How do things look for the Crimson Tide this fall? Let's look at each game on this slate, from the easiest to the hardest.

Alabama football schedule: Ranking the Crimson Tide's 2022 opponents

12. Austin Peay

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When: Nov. 19

Where: Tuscaloosa

What to expect: The traditional late-season gimme brings the Governors to Tuscaloosa, wedged between a trip to Ole Miss and the home finale against Auburn. Austin Peay was a 6-5 team a year ago, 6-0 in games when it scored at least 30 points. Don't expect Bama's starters to play a lot in this one or for the Govs to get anywhere near 30 points.

11. UL Monroe

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When: Sept. 17

Where: Tuscaloosa

What to expect: Don't lose any sleep over the Week 3 date with the Warhawks either, who are coming off a four-win season in 2021, a slight improvement from its 0-10 outing the year before. Monroe infamously beat the Tide at Bryant-Denny in Nick Saban's first year on the Bama sideline, but he got his revenge in a 34-0 win in 2015. Expect more of that second meeting as a template for this one. 

10. Utah State

When: Sept. 3

Where: Tuscaloosa

What to expect: Alabama's opener is against one of the biggest surprises outside the Power 5 a year ago. Utah State went 11-3 in coach Blake Anderson's first year, including a 6-2 mark in the Mountain West and a win over Oregon State in the LA Bowl. USU earned a No. 24 ranking in the final AP poll, too. Which all makes for a nice story, but the Tide shouldn't breathe too heavily over this Week 1 matchup.

9. Vanderbilt

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When: Sept. 24

Where: Tuscaloosa

What to expect: First-year head coach Clark Lea inherited a mess last year, and as strange as it sounds, the Commodores' 0-8 SEC mark in 2021 was actually an improvement (Vandy went 0-9 in conference in 2020). This team won two games last fall, against Colorado State and UConn, by a combined five points. It lost to East Tennessee State by 20. Vanderbilt accounted for just under 16 points per game a year ago and this defense allowed almost 40 points each time out against SEC opposition.

8. Tennessee

When: Oct. 15

Where: Knoxville

What to expect: Nick Saban has never lost to Tennessee, and despite the tangible improvements the Vols made under first-year coach Josh Heupel, that streak should continue. UT quarterback Hendon Hooker was the SEC's most efficient passer a year ago, and he commanded an offense that ranked ninth in the nation in total offense and seventh in scoring per game. Alabama beat the Volts, 52-24, last year, but it was a seven-point game at the start of the fourth quarter. Despite its improvements, Tennessee still allowed almost 34 ppg to SEC opposition last season.

7. Mississippi State

When: Oct. 22

Where: Tuscaloosa

What to expect: Bama's defense had no trouble grounding the so-called Air Raid in last year's meeting, a 49-9 beatdown amid the cowbell chorus. MSU lost its leading receiver from that unit, but the Bulldogs also bring back eight starters on a defense that placed No. 4 in the SEC and allowed under 6 yards per play in conference games. Will Rogers returns at quarterback after piling up almost 5,000 yards with 36 touchdowns last season.

6. Auburn

When: Nov. 26

Where: Tuscaloosa

What to expect: This defense will lose the likes of Roger McCreary, Smoke Monday, and Zakoby McClain, and will have to fill some gaps and find depth under first-year coordinator Jeff Schmedding. Last season's unit was solid, allowing about three TDs per game. 

Auburn can run the ball with Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter, but needs to plug in a new quarterback with Bo Nix gone and holes at receiver. Quite the laundry list for an already embattled head coach in Bryan Harsin, who will have some trouble winning more than the six games he did last season.

5. LSU

When: Nov. 5

Where: Baton Rouge

What to expect: Arguably the biggest question mark in the SEC, if not college football, this season. Brian Kelly steps into a program long on potential, but short on results. LSU brought on some solid additions via the transfer portal and in what finished a top 15 recruiting class, but will it all come together? 

Kelly, who left Notre Dame as its winningest coach if not also one who struggled against Southern teams (including Alabama, which thrashed the Irish in a BCS title match), has holes to fill in the secondary, offensive line, and at quarterback. 

4. Ole Miss

When: Nov. 12

Where: Oxford

What to expect: Last time the Tide went to Oxford, it needed 63 points to come out with a win. Alabama won't need that many this time, not with what figures to be a very new look Rebels offense. Matt Corral is gone, in addition to running backs Henry Parrish Jr., Jerrion Ealy, and Snoop Conner and receivers Braylon Sanders and Dontario Drummond. Ole Miss looked better on defense in '21 and brings back six starters, while it scored quarterback Jaxson Dart and running back Zach Evans in the transfer portal.

3. Arkansas

When: Oct. 1

Where: Fayetteville

What to expect: The surprise of the SEC West last season, Arkansas beat three ranked teams and knocked off Penn State by two TDs in the bowl game. And played the Tide pretty close, too, walking out of Bryant-Denny on the wrong end of a seven-point game a year ago. 

KJ Jefferson returns at quarterback, but the Hogs have to replace wideout Treylon Burks, and beef up a defensive unit bringing back just four starters. Former 5-star recruit and OU wideout Jadon Hazelwood steps in for Burks after emerging as a quality deep threat with seven career touchdowns.

2. Texas

When: Sept. 10

Where: Austin

What to expect: The first big test for the defending SEC champions, against a familiar face in Steve Sarkisian. The second-year Texas coach called offensive plays for the Crimson Tide team that ran through everything in 2020. 

Sark is coming off a meager 5-7 debut with the Longhorns, but has a generational prospect at quarterback in Quinn Ewers. Bama's front seven should have the advantage going against a player with two career snaps, but will also have to contend with Bijan Robinson. The running back was an 1,100 yard rusher good for almost 6 yards per carry last fall.

1. Texas A&M

When: Oct. 8

Where: Tuscaloosa

What to expect: Jimbo Fisher has recruited this program into College Football Playoff contention, but it can still get beat on any given Saturday. Last season was proof of that, as the Aggies both beat No. 1 Alabama but still lost four other SEC West games, including at Ole Miss by 10 last November. A&M comes to T-Town to try its luck again in a major matchup that could find both these teams undefeated and looking to get a vital leg-up in the division standings.

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