Chattanooga (7-3) at No. 8 Alabama (9-1, No. 8 CFP), Saturday, 12 p.m. EST (ESPN)
Line: Alabama by 44 1/2, according to FanDuel.com Sportsbook.
Series: Alabama leads, 13-0.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Alabama has already clinched the SEC West title and is riding an eight-game winning streak marked by pretty steady improvement. The Crimson Tide don’t want any kind of slacking off in execution or performance ahead of the Auburn game. Chattanooga has hopes of making the FCS playoffs, a field that is announced on Sunday.
KEY MATCHUP
Alabama’s defense against Chattanooga’s passing game. Behind quarterback Chase Artopoeus, the Mocs have three 500-yard receivers — Jamoi Mayes (924), Javin Whatley (802) and Sam Phillips (520) — for the first time since 2004. Alabama has standout cornerbacks in Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold and is second in the SEC in scoring defense, allowing 18.1 points a game.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Chattanooga edge rusher Jay Person and DE Ben Brewton are two of the top pass rushers in the Southern Conference. Person is tied for the league lead with 7.5 sacks and Brown has 7.0.
Alabama QB Jalen Milroe may not play the whole game if it goes as many expect. But he has managed a couple of firsts in the past two games. Milroe ran for a school quarterback record four touchdowns against LSU. Against Kentucky, he became the first Tide player with three touchdowns passing and three touchdowns in the same game.
FACTS AND FIGURES
This is Alabama’s second straight early game, and the Tide are now 28-0 in games starting at or before 11:30 a.m. Central under coach Nick Saban. … Jermaine Burton is averaging 20.7 yards on his 26 catches this season, which leads the SEC and ranks ninth nationally. … Alabama has outscored opponents 100-38 in the third quarter, and it has been both the highest scoring 15 minutes for the offense and the stingiest for the defense. … Mocs long-snapper Jake Hall is an Alabama transfer and defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward played for the Tide. … College Football Hall of Famer Frank Thomas and H.D. Drew served as head coach at both programs. … Chattanooga’s last two games have been decided by a total of four points, a 17-14 loss to Furman and a 24-23 win over VMI.
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