Thomas Campbell, USA TODAY SPORTS
The 2013 season has been up and down for the Alabama Crimson Tide so far. In their opening win over the Virginia Tech Hokies, the Tide offense didn’t do much, but Christion Jones made enough big plays on offense and special teams to lead Alabama to a win.
In the second game of the season, Alabama was motivated, seeking revenge against Johnny Manziel and the Texas A&M Aggies. The Alabama offense was phenomenal in that game, posting 49 points and riding the arm of A.J. McCarron to a 49-42 win in College Station.
Then on Saturday, the sleepwalking Tide returned, as Alabama was sluggish in beating Colorado State in the home opener.
Now, Alabama must face the upstart Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Ole Miss has won its first three games this season, including a 44-23 win in Austin over the Texas Longhorns.
If Alabama is not ready for this game, an upset is definitely not out of the question. Ole Miss runs the uptempo offense that has given Alabama trouble (see the Texas A&M game), and if the Tide are not on top of their game, anything could happen.
However, the guess here is that Nick Saban will have the attention of his team as they head into a SEC divisional game against a ranked opponent. Look for Alabama to start fast in this game, which could take the wind out of the sails for Ole Miss.
It’s time for the 2013 Tide to start developing an identity. And if that is going to include SEC Champions, the Tide need to put forth an effort like they did against Texas A&M each and every week.
Tim Letcher is a contributing writer for www.RantSports.com and a member of the Football Writers Association of America. Follow him on Twitter @TimLetcher , on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
Related:
Alabama Crimson Tide: What We Learned In Week 4, What To Look For In Week 5
