Texas Football: 4 reasons the Longhorns can upset Alabama in Week 2

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T’Vondre Sweat, Texas football. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports /

By far, the biggest game of the non-conference slate for head coach Steve Sarkisian and No. 11 Texas football is on Sep. 9 against head coach Nick Saban and the No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide. Texas takes on Alabama under the lights at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Sep. 9 in the back end of a home-and-home series that started last season at DKR in Austin.

Alabama got the best of the Longhorns in last year’s matchup between these two teams at DKR by a narrow score of 20-19. A last-minute Alabama field goal sealed the victory for the Tide in Austin.

Why Quinn Ewers and Texas football can upset Alabama in Week 2

Texas comes into this game as a one-score underdog against the Tide on the road. Most fans, college football media, and Vegas think this will be a close game in Tuscaloosa on Sep. 9.

It will be on the biggest of stages for the non-conference portion of the regular season schedule, with ESPN College GameDay taking its set to Tuscaloosa this weekend.

Here are three reasons why the Longhorns can upset Alabama in Week 2 in Tuscaloosa.

This game will be close until the very end

I anticipate this will be a very close game between the Longhorns and Crimson Tide this weekend. Texas and Alabama have tremendous defenses with many future NFL Draft picks. Both defenses should set the tone in the trenches, leading to a potential slugfest between these teams in Tuscaloosa.

Assuming Texas and Alabama go back and forth with occasional touchdowns in the first three quarters of this game, this could come down to who has more gas left in the tank in the final 15 minutes.

Texas can rotate at key positions along the defensive front. Defensive line coach Bo Davis and the Longhorns have five or six defensive linemen that can rotate in this game. Texas also has depth in the secondary to match up effectively against an Alabama receiving corps with some question marks.

If redshirt sophomore quarterback Quinn Ewers and the Longhorns have a late-game situation where they can get the game-winning score on one drive, I have faith that Sark has enough up his sleeve to convert when it matters most.

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