CBS TV schedule released at conference meetings.

It appears as though the LSU-Alabama matchup will likely headline CBS’ prime-time football slate again this season, per a network schedule announcement today at SEC conference meetings in Destin, Fla.

Nov. 4 will be one of three double-header days for the conference’s primary network partner, with LSU-Bama likely as the highest-profile matchup. Other games that day include Auburn at Texas A&M, Florida at Missouri, South Carolina at Georgia and Ole Miss at Kentucky.

LSU and Alabama has been a prime-time matchup on CBS each season since 2011. This year’s game is, of course, at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. The next two Saturdays, Nov. 11 and 18, will also be double-headers, but with a noon/2:30 p.m. CT slotting, as opposed to the 2:30/7 p.m. slotting on the 4th.

The entirety of the CBS schedule is as follows:

DATE, TIME (ET)

GAME

Saturday, Sept. 9, 3:30 p.m.
TCU at Arkansas

Saturday, Sept. 16, 3:30 p.m.
Tennessee at Florida

Saturday, Sept. 23, 3:30 p.m.
SEC Game of the Week

Saturday, Sept. 30, 3:30 p.m.
SEC Game of the Week

Saturday, Oct. 7, 3:30 p.m.
SEC Game of the Week

Saturday, Oct. 14, 3:30 p.m.
SEC Game of the Week

Saturday, Oct. 21, 3:30 p.m.
SEC Game of the Week

Saturday, Oct. 28, 3:30 p.m.
Georgia vs. Florida

Saturday, Nov. 4, 3:30 p.m.
SEC Game of the Week No. 1
8 p.m.
SEC Game of the Week No. 2

Saturday, Nov. 11, Noon
SEC Game fo the Week No. 1
3:30 p.m.
SEC Game of the Week No. 2

Saturday, Nov. 18, Noon
SEC Game of the Week No. 1
3:30 p.m.
SEC Game of the Week No. 2

Friday, Nov. 24, 2:30 p.m.
Missouri at Arkansas

Saturday Nov. 25, 3:30 p.m.
SEC Game of the Week

Saturday, Dec. 2, 4 p.m.
SEC Championship Game

Saturday, Dec. 9, 3 p.m.
Army-Navy Game

Friday, Dec. 29, 3 p.m.
Hyundai Sun Bowl

The two most decorated positions... All in one article

With this last installment, we finally come to the end of the series introducing you to each of the incoming freshmen for the class of 2017.

You’ve all likely heard at this point that the most important position in the state of Alabama’s political structure is the starting quarterback for the Crimson Tide. Well, Jalen Hurts has that distinction for now, but there are two new candidates joining the scene this year.

That said, the Crimson Tide has truly made it’s legacy in the run game, both in the past and in the Saban era. The school’s two Heisman trophy winners have both been running backs, and the pressure is just as high for these ball carriers as it is for the ball-throwers.

I will mention SPARQ and Z-scores in this article as a method of quantifying athleticism, so if you don’t know what that means, check out the little box below:

For continuity within this series, I will always use 247sports.com ‘s composite rankings for a player’s star rating and national and state rankings. All heights, weights, and other athletic tests come from espn.com, who integrates their data with that of Nike’s Combine results.

Tua Tagovailoa

Rated as a dual-threat QB, Tua brings pretty impressive athleticism to the table, though it doesn’t necessarily show up in his 40-yard dash. Instead, his short area explosiveness and acceleration for his size is what really separates him from many quarterbacks out there.

Going forward, his height (or lack thereof) will likely be one of the biggest talking points for his detractors. Also, he is a lefty.

Pros

In his techniques, Tua is an odd blend of the footwork and throwing motion of an older generation of QBs while operating in a spread-option style of play. He has quick, jerky feet when dropping back and moving in the pocket, and throws more with his lower body than with pure arm strength. These aren’t really good or bad per se, but definitely look out of place next to a more deliberate and smooth mover in Jalen Hurts.

Tua has the velocity on his throws to really thread needles across the middle on even intermediate level passes, and can get pretty good distance on his deep balls. He usually puts a lot of spin on his passes, which can make them a little easier for a receiver to catch, as the ball will spin into their gloves.

He’s exceptional at dodging defenders in the pocket and scrambling around to find another receiver. There’s a reason he’s been repeatedly compared to Russell Wilson and Randall Cunningham in the media (and I would add Doug Flutie as an even better comparison). He’s got the explosiveness and fleetness-of-foot to escape any hairy situation, and can turn what should have been a sack into a big play.

Cons

Like most any other high school QB in this day and age, he comes from a spread-option offense, where his responsibility is typically to look for the primary receiver, and if covered, run. For his credit, Tagovailoa is more likely to scramble and then look for another receiver than to just take off running, but I’d still like to see more confidence in stepping up in the pocket and progressing to the next read rather than bailing out backwards.

I’m also not totally sold on his ball placement, as he tends to throw a little bit behind his receiver, especially on drags and other horizontal routes. On deeper, vertical routes, his throws tend to rainbow a little, rather than taking a more laser-like trajectory (though that isn’t necessarily bad, if he has the arm strength to get the distance with a fast receiver... Think Blake Sims and Amari Cooper).

He’s a lefty. If the receivers aren’t used to the ball spinning in the opposite direction, we could see more drops. And the offensive line will have to block a little differently.

Prediction

Many are already crowning Tua as the next coming and believe he’ll unseat Jalen Hurts as the starter. I don’t believe that Nick Saban wants a 4th year in a row with a new quarterback, so I think Hurts will resume his role. Tua will obviously be the second best QB on the team, but will he be the primary back-up? Saban may try to redshirt the Hawaiian to give him an extra year buffer to be a starter after Hurts leaves the team.

Mac Jones

Though all four of his tests are very similar numbers to Tagovailoa’s, Mac Jones is nearly 35 pounds lighter than the Hawaiian, which drops his SPARQ score significantly (though he’s still a pretty athletic QB overall).

Though listed as a pro-style passer, Jones actually ran a wing-T offense in high school.

Pros

Quick releases and selling play-fakes is Mac’s name to fame. When it comes to executing a convincing play-action and quickly getting a screen out to a wide receiver waiting past the hash marks, he’s one of the best you’re ever going to see.

He’s also got great touch on outside throws such as corner routes, fades, and wheels, letting receivers cradle in his soft throws without ever breaking stride. His footwork is solid, if unspectacular, and he can make medium range throws while rolling out either to the left or right.

Cons

He short arms most of his throws, which severely limits any ball velocity or distance he might otherwise have the arm to accomplish. When throwing across the middle, his ball often hangs in the air and takes forever to reach his target. I also did not see any throws over about 30 yards from the LOS from him, so I have to assume that the deep ball is not a strength.

I also can’t speak for his pocket presence, as the nature of his offense was that of quick-hitting screens and play-fakes that kept defensive linemen from ever coming close to him. Maybe he can operate in the pocket under fire, or maybe he’ll freak out. I just can’t know for sure.

Prediction

I actually think that Jones will end up getting the bulk of any mop-up duty this year while Saban redshirts Tagovailoa. Ultimately, though, I think Jones was signed to be depth, and little more. That said, I’ll be cheering for him to prove me wrong.

Brian Robinson

As sort of an update, Brian Robinson recently ran a 4.41 forty during Alabama’s spring practices after he enrolled, making him the fastest running back on the team. So it seems he’s matured some athletically since participating in the Nike combine last summer.

Pros

It is my belief that Robinson is probably the most underrated player in this class. He’s big, powerful, fast, and agile.

He’s got a long stride that lends to his exceptional breakaway speed, especially for someone his size. He has a built upper body and runs with a forward lean, so any defenders aiming to hit him high or bring him down with arm tackles will bounce off or get run through.

And while you may think he’s just a size/speed combo guy, he’s got surprisingly light feet and can hop step through a hole or break some ankles in the open field. He’s at his best on stretch plays where he can build up a head of steam around the corner and down the sideline.

Cons

He is a bit top heavy, so defenders going for his legs can be fairly successful. It also somewhat limits his effectiveness up the middle, as he needs a little space to get up to full speed and really be able to use his size to his advantage.

His ability in the passing game, both as a blocker and a receiver, is untested and unknown. Whether he can develop there will go a long way towards determining how soon he gets playing time.

Prediction

I think he redshirts this year. With Bo Scarbrough, Damien Harris, Josh Jacobs, and B.J. Emmons all returning, plus the addition of Najee Harris, I would guess that Saban will aim to get an extra year of eligibility on Robinson to keep his services around a little longer after the others start to leave.

Najee Harris

The crown jewel of this recruiting class, Harris was the #1 overall recruit in the nation by the opinion of more than one recruiting service. Athletically, he actually didn’t test all that well for someone of his lofty status, with only his twenty-yard shuttle really being impressive.

In some cases, it just goes to show that there is more to football than pure athleticism.

Pros

He’s one of the best recruits that Nick Saban has ever brought in for a reason. Najee Harris can do just about everything, and he does it all well.

Hurdle over defenders going low? No problem. Truck a defender going high? Check. Break some ankles in the open field? Sure thing.

And the list keeps on going. Through all of it though, his incredible balance and lower body power and flexibility is what really sets him apart. No matter how he gets hit or what kind of physics defying cuts he tries, he’s always going to stay on his feet and keep fighting for yards.

He has the footwork to pull off any move in the books, be it a cut, stutter, high-step, hop-step, spin, or a full out juke. He’s powerful enough to truck someone head on, or stiff arm a man to the ground from the side.

And past his running skills, he’s a well rounded player overall. He smoothly transitions the ball to either hand to keep it away from the defender, which is a rare quality even up to the NFL level, and should do wonders for preventing fumbles. He’s a willing and stalwart pass blocker.

Oh, and he plays receiver sometimes too. Throw him a fade in the endzone and he can box out two defensive backs to win a jump ball.

Combine all that with exceptional patience behind the line of scrimmage and the explosiveness to plant his foot and attack the hole as soon as it appears, and, well, that’s why he’s the best recruit in the class.

Cons

Um. He doesn’t have ridiculous breakaway speed and another gear to really pull away from faster defenders.

That’s about it.

Prediction

Though Damien Harris, Bo Scarbrough, and Josh Jacobs all return from last season’s rushing effort (all of whom proved more than capable of being a starter), Najee Harris will find a way onto the field. He’s too good not to.

He may not be a major contributor this year due to the depth ahead of him, but I’d expect him to be in national conversations sooner, rather than later.

With A-Day coming up, recruiting is starting to pick up. Let's look at the top news from this week.

2019 defensive end and Tennessee native Joseph Anderson has picked up an offer from the Tide. Anderson is a powerful, quick end who can make an immediate difference on the line. Anderson is one of the top underclassmen in the early 2019 rankings. Expect Alabama to be in it until the end—with the Volunteers being the lead dog.

Chances Alabama lands Anderson: Medium

Top 2018 target and 4-star QB Tanner McKee recently visited Tuscaloosa. McKee is an accomplished student-athlete, holding a 4.2 GPA in his high school career thus far. The 6’6” gunslinger from California holds over 20 Power-5 offers. He is Alabama’s top QB target for 2018.

Chances Alabama lands McKee: Medium-High

The Midwest, particularly Wisconsin, is known for its large and talented lineman, and Minnesota is no different. The 2019 OT has picked up a huge offer from Alabama. Carroll holds over 10 power five offers, as well as Auburn, Arkansas and Florida State. Alabama looks to be in the drivers seat for the 6’6” lineman who visited this week.

Chances Alabama lands Carroll: High

Georgia native and highly touted 2020, yes 2020, LB Kevin Swint picked up his 7th offer from Alabama. The 6’3” outside linebacker plays physical, strong and fast. Coach Saban offered him on his visit to Tuscaloosa this week. Georgia looks to be the favorite.

Chances Alabama lands Swint: Low-Medium

In-state DE and 4-star prospect Coynis Miller recently visited Alabama’s spring practice. The 2018 prospect is planning to decide between Auburn and Alabama. He holds over 10 offers.

Chances Alabama lands Miller: Medium

The highly-touted, dual-threat QB Adrian Martinez has picked up a huge offer from the Tide. The Cal commit says he could see himself at Alabama and fitting into Bama’s system.

Chances Alabama lands Martinez: Low-Medium

2018 brothers, Justin and Jayson Ademilola, have picked up Alabama offers. The two brothers are both 4-star recruits and have both been committed to Notre Dame for some time now. Don’t expect anything to happen here.

Chances Alabama lands the Ademilola brothers: Low

2018 4-star DE and Alabama native Jalen Cunningham visited Alabama this week. Jalen has taken many visits to Tuscaloosa this year, making him one of Alabama’s top targets. Expect Alabama to close in on Cunningham soon.

Chances Alabama lands Cunningham: High

2018 3-star DT and Miami, Ohio native Tyler Bentley has picked up his 22nd offer from the Tide. Bentley is a large defensive tackle, at 6’3” 295 and would be a great addition to the line, but Kentucky has been the long time leader for Bentley’s services. Alabama doesn't look to be a factor here.

Chances Alabama lands Bentley: Low

2018 4-star LB Amari Gainer has took his 2nd visit to Alabama. The explosive LB from Tallahassee has a top two of Alabama and Florida State. Gainer holds 19 offers, including numerous SEC offers.

Chances Alabama lands Gainer: Medium-High

Big time QB and 4-star Alabama Native James Foster has picked up his childhood dream offer from The Tide. The 6’3” dual-threat QB has a top list of Missouri, Alabama, Gerogia and Tennessee. Expect Alabama to continue to push hard for Foster’s services.

5-star QB and top 20 player nationally Emory Jones has visited Alabama for this first time. The OSU commit picked up an Alabama offer last month and just took the next step in the process by coming to see Tuscaloosa. Jones is an electric playmaker. I wouldn’t get your hopes up though.

Chances Alabama lands Jones: Low

2018 CB and Georgia native Jaycee Horn made his first trip down to T-Town. The 6’1” cornerback plays with speed and instincts. Horn holds an Alabama offer, as well as about 16 other offers. Alabama should be able to close out on Horn.

Chances Alabama lands Horn: Medium-High

Elite 2019 playmaker and WR Arjei Henderson has picked up an offer from Alabama. The Texas native holds over 30 offers and is committed to Oklahoma. Henderson will just likely stay put and stay committed to Oklahoma.

Chances Alabama lands Henderson: Low

Dylan Moses, Alex Leatherwood, Jerry Jeudy and more.

Eight Alabama commits will take part in the 2017 Under Armour All-America Game. The game will be played Jan. 1, 2017 in Orlando, FL, airing on ESPN at noon CT / 1pm ET.

TEAM ARMOUR (White uniforms):

#6 LB Dylan Moses (Baton Rouge, LA/IMG Academy) – Top 10 player overall.

#70 OT Alex Leatherwood (Pensacola, FL/Booker T. Washington High School) – Top 10 player overall.

#4 WR Jerry Jeudy (Deerfield Beach, FL/Deerfield Beach High School) – 5-star, Top 4 WR.

#96 DT Akial Byers (Fayetteville, AR/Fayetteville High School) – 4-star, top 10 DT.

#8 LB Markail Benton (Phenix City, AL/Central High School) – 4-star, top 5 OLB.

TEAM HIGHLIGHT (Dark uniforms):

#67 OG Jedrick Wills Lexington, KY/Lafayette High School) – 4-star, top 10 OT.

#4 LB Chris Allen (Baton Rouge, LA/Southern University Lab) – 4-star, top 10 OLB.

#10 S Daniel Wright (Fort Lauderdale, FL/Boyd Anderson High School) – 4-star, recent flip from FSU.

As always, some recruits will be announcing their commitment but none are expected to pick Alabama. Two outside possibilities:

• Deangelo Gibbs 6-3, 205-pound #3 safety from Suwanee, GA is supposed to announce during the first break of the 3rd Quarter. He'll likely pick UGA but Bama has a shot at him.
• Xavier McKinney 6-1, 192-pound #5 safety from Roswell, GA is a Clemson lean.

One interesting/odd/gaudy aspect of the game is that players will wear state-specific cleats:

Which State are you reppin? #IWILL pic.twitter.com/YxiNLWe7Zn

— All-America Game (@AllAmericaGame) December 27, 2016

The former head coach at Washington is back on familiar grounds.

It is true that every time I post something about Steve Sarkisian on this site, traffic doubles. Commenters come out of the woodwork to insert their opinion that either a) Coach Sark saved the Washington program from the abyss or b) did nothing more than establish a culture of mediocrity with players who were far more talented than ever accomplished.

I promise that the point of this article isn't to provide click-bait for the mother ship to rejoice over. There is a point to cover, though it might take me a while to get there.

It cannot be debated that Sark owns a significant part in the fabric of this program. Now that he has been officially announced as the new offensive coordinator at Alabama, this is as good a time as ever to reflect upon the life and times of our former coach.

From a football perspective, this announcement is about as surprising as poop in baby diapers. The departure of Lane Kiffin to the football purgatory that is Florida Atlantic left an opening on the Alabama staff. Nick Saban, who more resembles a feudalistic, medieval monarch more so than just about any other living, breathing American, filled that opening by hiring what the typical ‘Bama fan sees as Kif 2.0.

In reality, this is a much more shrewd move. Sark has many of the same attributes that Kiffin possesses. He’ll be a sharp recruiter for a head coach that doesn't like to dirty his hands with that sausage-making. He’ll be a relatable coach who knows how to relate to millennial players in a way that old-school Saban will not. He’ll also be an innovative play-caller who will recognize the talents of his personnel and leverage those in his system.

But he is different than Kiffin in many respects. The most obvious is that he has rock-bottomed to a level that Kiffin has yet to go. The conditions surrounding his dismissal from USC - in particular the multiple incidents of public intoxicaction and the pursuant reports of very questionable behaviors involving women, booze and expense account abuse during his time at UW - were devastating to both his personal life and his professional aspirations. He was not hireable at any level and he lost his friends, his professional network and his family. Only a Nick Saban (or maybe a Bill Belichick?) has the gravitas required to reclaim a man like that and, by all accounts, Sark has started putting the pieces back together. I’d argue that he is a more serious and humbled coach at this stage of his life than is Lane Kiffin.

On the field, Sark is both a better tactician and a more versatile offensive coach. Husky fans have seen evidence of this in many forms. In his first game against LSU in 2009, Sark surprised everybody by putting up nearly 500 yards of offense on the #11 LSU Tigers and their vaunted SEC defense. In 2011, Sark demonstrated his versatility by switching to an innovative brand of up-tempo, rhythm offense that was rooted in pro-style concepts. That offense broke Husky records in overall productivity (at least until this year). Sark’s recruiting prowess and charisma is also a factor. While at UW, he delivered some of the better offensive talent the program had ever seen such as Chris Polk, Bishop Sankey and John Ross.

Nick Saban took a trip to the local scrap heap and found himself a serious upgrade for his ‘Bama offense. That he did so just in time for his Peach Bowl matchup with the team that Sark himself picked up from that same scrap heap is a development dripping with football irony.

Whether or not he is calling the plays, Sark will help Alabama. He’s a good offensive coach who has the respect and attention of his players. He has also had the opportunity to prepare an offensive game plan against a Chris Petersen defense three times in his career - even managing to win one of those matchups (while taking a second as close to a win as you could get). That experience is like gold to Saban and the rest of the staff.

I don't really know if Sark will ever again have the trust of a college president or NFL billionaire to get back into a head coach’s seat. I'm not sure that he even desires that at this stage of his life. But I do know that this once-broken man has found his way back. As an offensive coordinator, he is back on familiar ground with his footing underneath him. Protected by Saban, he will have room to grow and to demonstrate publicly his maturity. With the cache of ‘Bama, the conditions are ripe to succeed.

Welcome back, Sark.

The only question is the timing.

Unsurprisingly, Alabama backup QB Cooper Bateman has decided to become a graduate transfer and has already been granted his release, per Matt Zenitz of Al.com.

Complicating matters is Alabama’s inevitable bid to the College Football Playoff. If Bateman’s new chosen team wants him to participate in their bowl practice to better prepare for next season, he may leave immediately. At that point David Cornwell would be the only scholarship QB on the roster other than starter Jalen Hurts.

The Tide would also need to find a new holder to replace Bateman on field goals and extra points.

Stay Tuned.

When a roster is as loaded as this one, some attrition can be mutually beneficial to the program and the player.

If you follow Alabama football closely, you know that there has been no shortage of opinions shared over the past week on Blake Barnett’s abrupt decision to pack up and leave town. At issue is not the decision to transfer after being passed up by the younger Jalen Hurts.

That was to be expected.

The timing, however, seemed rather unusual, at least until it was revealed that Barnett may be able to take advantage of an apparent loophole that would allow him to gain eligibility at another FBS program by week five of the 2017 season.

Should he prove successful in his efforts, he very well could set a precedent that would open the door for many other such transfers in the future, potentially changing college football in a meaningful way. To many fans, this would be a negative change, something akin to free agency in the professional sports world where fans routinely root against a player one season before becoming his biggest fan once he dons their preferred team’s uniform. Some overly dramatic fans might even call it the end of college football as we know it, and Alabama fans are particularly scarred since Barnett is just the latest of several high profile transfers from the program over the past few months.

The prevailing thought is that seeing elite recruits transfer out after short careers could cause other elite recruits to think twice before committing to a loaded Alabama program.

But what if the opposite is true?

Thus far, roster attrition has had little to no impact on the Nick Saban recruiting machine, and that doesn’t seem to be changing. Alabama currently holds commitments from three of the top five 2017 players on the 247 Composite and by all measures will have an outstanding class when all is said and done. With the program clearly entrenched at the top of the football world, opposing coaches’ best recruiting pitch against Alabama is an already loaded roster that could make seeing the field early a difficult proposition. Indeed, they can cite the transfers of former five-star prospects Barnett and Kendall Sheffield as examples of players who could have started as freshmen at other programs.

There may actually be a way, however, that Saban and company can spin the transfers into a positive.

Think about it. The Alabama coaches can look a kid in the eye and tell him that they truly believe he has what it takes to come in and compete at this level. While there is no promise of playing time, the coaches can cite several true freshman contributors as evidence that early action can be earned. By his sophomore year, the prospect should be on the field and helping to hoist that trophy. And if that doesn’t happen for him?

No harm, no foul.

Worst case scenario, you will spend over a year in the best player development program in the country. You will practice against the best competition in the country. If you aren’t able to win playing time for some unforeseen reason and decide to go elsewhere, you will leave a much better player than you are now and we will support you in your effort to transfer. In short, you will either help Alabama win championships or be better equipped to shine elsewhere.

That should be music to the ears of a five-star prospect with NFL dreams. Telling the player up front that he will have the program’s full support if it doesn’t work out in Tuscaloosa should assuage any fears that he won’t gain the exposure needed to catch the eye of NFL scouts, and every player who does transfer out opens a scholarship for another elite prospect who wishes to come in and compete.

In addition, competing with players of this caliber will allow the player to truly assess whether NFL riches can be a part of his future, and adjust accordingly. He may decide to simply stick around for four years, get on the field as much as he can, and enjoy being a part of a championship program as he earns his degree.

Alabama ends up with an even more loaded roster and becomes something of a farm system for college football.

What’s not to like?

Winning out over the SEC programs was always going to be a difficult task for the Longhorns.

A weekend official visit to Tuscaloosa resulted in the Sunday commitment of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy product Dylan Moses to the Alabama Crimson Tide over the Texas Longhorns, LSU Tigers, and numerous others, the nation’s No. 1 outside linebacker announced via Twitter:

As with most commitment to head coach Nick Saban, this one would likely be final even if Moses did plan on taking other visits, like his planned official to Austin on October 15 for the Iowa State game.

Once the leader for the 6’3, 235-pounder, Texas reached such an advantageous position due to strong relationships between Moses and sophomore linebacker Malik Jefferson and head coach Charlie Strong.

But even though the termination of LSU head coach Les Miles was favorable for Texas, competing against Saban and reigning national champion Alabama was always going to be difficult for the Longhorns.

After all, even though the Crimson Tide recruiting class is quickly reaching its capacity, the nation’s consensus No. 4 prospect had a spot held regardless of overall numbers.

Now the focus for Strong and linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary will turn more firmly to in-state prospects, especially consensus five-star Kennedale linebacker Baron Browning, as well as Plano East linebacker Anthony Hines and perhaps even Dallas Kimball linebacker Devodrick Johnson.

The Longhorns head coach will have to achieve success in those recruitments by achieving success on the field — the win over the Fighting Irish to start the season helped with Browning and Hines, but with Strong’s job now on the line following two losses, Texas will miss out on those top linebackers and perhaps fire its head coach without getting some more victories in the near future.

September 3rd is quickly approaching, and we still don’t have an answer on who the starting quarterback will be. At this point, Bateman is still considered the favorite.

It seems like there is a quarterback battle going on every year at the University of Alabama. It has almost become as expected as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and this year has been no different. The competition is down to three players, but the favorite is still the redshirt junior from Salt Lake City, Utah Cooper Bateman.

Out of all the quarterbacks on Alabama’s roster, Bateman is the only one to have game experience. He played in six games last year -- including one start versus Ole Miss -- and he finished the season with 291 passing yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

Now, those aren’t eye-popping numbers, but the quarterback competition might come down to one particular stat: the six games played. Saban has always preached that limiting mistakes at the quarterback position is a key to success. So far, that’s something that just about every quarterback on the roster has struggled with going back to the A-Day game. If those mistakes continue, that struggle could end up working in Bateman’s favor.

It’s a matter that can be debated, but as long as every quarterback continues to struggle with the small things, it could push Bateman into a starting role by default. The experience that was previously mentioned becomes the difference in the competition.

Now, I’m not saying that the young quarterbacks such as Blake Barnett and Jalen Hurts haven’t improved, but what I am saying is the window for either player to step up and take the job from Bateman is closing fast. They need to continue making strides in fall camp if they want to push themselves over the top in the competition. It’s “make-or-break” time for the quarterbacks.

The quarterback battle has been the most debated topic for Alabama this summer, and the debate will continue until we have our answer come September 3rd against USC. What are your thoughts?

There has never been a better conference championship game in the expansion era.

December 1, 2012 was one of the most important days in the modern history of the SEC.

On that day, America was treated to an instant classic between two blueblood programs; a battle of style, wits, will, execution in all three phases; a face-off between two of the game’s top coaches; a cornucopia of talent where over twenty of the participants would be future NFL draft picks; two top-five teams squaring off for the SEC Championship with a national title appearance versus Notre Dame at stake.

And, did the 20th anniversary of the SEC Championship ever live up to its hype.

The game started as an old-school slugfest between two pro-style coaches feeling one another out in a 0-0 first quarter, the first shutout first quarter in SECCG history. From there, things went completely off the rails.

The teams would combine for 906 yards, 60 points, 44 first downs, a blocked field goal that put the Tide into a late 21-10 hole, transcendent quarterback play from a Dawgs legend, transcendent power football from a legendary Alabama running game, a nail-biting late turnover, a hellacious individual effort on a final batted pass in a game where the team with the ball last looked to be the winner.

But, as Coach Mark Richt said, “we just ran out of time.”

The immediate fortunes of the two programs were shaped that day. And, fairly or not, the legacy of players and coaches would be cemented as well. For Alabama it would mean a chance to win a national title against the only program historically in its punching class. For Georgia, it would mean the diminution of Mark Richt’s excellent career and would forever (and wrongly) cement the “choking Dawgs” label that he had worn for a almost a decade. For Aaron Murray, the damage was worse: one of the SEC’s all-time great players, a quarterback who caught so much flak for other failings of the team, would practically vanish from the collective conscious of the conference.

A five-yard pass completion and Georgia takes home a conference and national title. Mark Richt is still Georgia’s head coach. Aaron Murray goes down in the pantheon of legendary SEC signal callers who came up big when it mattered most.

But, they just ran out of time.

Those accolades would instead pass to the nation’s premiere program. Because, with that last batted pass, on December 1st, 2012, in a game that the Tide won 32-28, the Alabama Crimson Tide won its 23rd SEC Championship.

23 days ‘til kickoff.

Roll Tide.