San Jose State
9th Western Athletic1-12
Alabama
5th SEC9-3
San Jose State @ Alabama preview
Bryant-Denny Stadium
It probably won't turn into much more than a tune-up, but Alabama's national title defense officially begins Saturday night when the Crimson Tide opens its season at home against San Jose State.
Alabama has plenty of tests ahead -- including a home game against No. 19 Penn State next week -- but the Spartans aren't likely to put up much of a fight.
San Jose State has gone 13-23 over the past three seasons, including a 2-10 mark last year, when the Spartans finished 1-7 in the WAC. They were picked in the preseason to finish last in the conference by both the coaches and media.
Turning things around will be a tough task for first-year coach Mike MacIntyre, and his rebuilding project begins in a tough setting -- taking on the nation's top-ranked team on the road.
The former Duke defensive coordinator made discipline and conditioning the focus of his team's preseason preparation, and the defense's conditioning certainly will be tested against an Alabama offense that boasts a bevy of weapons.
The Spartans allowed 259 rushing yards per game in 2009 and gave up 35 touchdowns on the ground. Luckily for the Spartans, they won't have to face reigning Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, who injured his left knee in practice Monday and had an arhthroscopic procedure that will cause him to miss the opener.
That's a big hit to a backfield duo that is expected to be one of the best in the nation with Ingram and explosive sophomore Trent Richardson.
Ingram rushed for 1,658 yards and 17 touchdowns while claiming college football's top individual honor last season, and Richardson added 751 rushing yards and scored eight touchdowns. Both backs were named to the preseason All-SEC first team.
And that's just the running game.
The Crimson Tide also returns quarterback Greg McElroy, who is undefeated as a starter dating back to his high school career. McElroy completed 61 percent of his passes for 2,508 yards and 17 touchdowns last year, throwing only four interceptions. He has his top target back in junior Julio Jones, who caught 43 passes for 596 yards and four touchdowns in 2009.
It all adds up to a major challenge for San Jose State's defense, which lost its leading tackler, safety Tanner Burns, in the offseason. Burns transferred to Kansas State to follow his father, former defensive coordinator Keith Burns, where he coaches the secondary.
If the Crimson Tide has a weakness in the early stages of its title defense, it's a young defense. Alabama has nine new starters on defense, including three sophomores.
The secondary is especially green, and its first test will be against a passing game led by incumbent starter Jordan La Secla, who beat out junior college transfer Matt Faulkner for the starting job. La Secla completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,926 yards and 10 touchdowns, while throwing 11 interceptions as a junior. Faulkner is expected to play at least one series in the first half of the opener.
Alabama has plenty of tests ahead -- including a home game against No. 19 Penn State next week -- but the Spartans aren't likely to put up much of a fight.
San Jose State has gone 13-23 over the past three seasons, including a 2-10 mark last year, when the Spartans finished 1-7 in the WAC. They were picked in the preseason to finish last in the conference by both the coaches and media.
Turning things around will be a tough task for first-year coach Mike MacIntyre, and his rebuilding project begins in a tough setting -- taking on the nation's top-ranked team on the road.
The former Duke defensive coordinator made discipline and conditioning the focus of his team's preseason preparation, and the defense's conditioning certainly will be tested against an Alabama offense that boasts a bevy of weapons.
The Spartans allowed 259 rushing yards per game in 2009 and gave up 35 touchdowns on the ground. Luckily for the Spartans, they won't have to face reigning Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, who injured his left knee in practice Monday and had an arhthroscopic procedure that will cause him to miss the opener.
That's a big hit to a backfield duo that is expected to be one of the best in the nation with Ingram and explosive sophomore Trent Richardson.
Ingram rushed for 1,658 yards and 17 touchdowns while claiming college football's top individual honor last season, and Richardson added 751 rushing yards and scored eight touchdowns. Both backs were named to the preseason All-SEC first team.
And that's just the running game.
The Crimson Tide also returns quarterback Greg McElroy, who is undefeated as a starter dating back to his high school career. McElroy completed 61 percent of his passes for 2,508 yards and 17 touchdowns last year, throwing only four interceptions. He has his top target back in junior Julio Jones, who caught 43 passes for 596 yards and four touchdowns in 2009.
It all adds up to a major challenge for San Jose State's defense, which lost its leading tackler, safety Tanner Burns, in the offseason. Burns transferred to Kansas State to follow his father, former defensive coordinator Keith Burns, where he coaches the secondary.
If the Crimson Tide has a weakness in the early stages of its title defense, it's a young defense. Alabama has nine new starters on defense, including three sophomores.
The secondary is especially green, and its first test will be against a passing game led by incumbent starter Jordan La Secla, who beat out junior college transfer Matt Faulkner for the starting job. La Secla completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,926 yards and 10 touchdowns, while throwing 11 interceptions as a junior. Faulkner is expected to play at least one series in the first half of the opener.