Alabama heads into its first SEC game of the season with a trip to Kentucky, and a College Football 27 simulation says the Crimson Tide are walking into trouble.
The prediction was ugly for Alabama: Kentucky 42, Alabama 21. That would snap a long run of dominance for the Crimson Tide, who have not lost to Kentucky since 1997.
It would also turn a promising start into a mess fast. Alabama is trying to move to 2-0, but a loss in Week 2 would immediately put pressure on head coach Kalen DeBoer and invite hot-seat talk.
Kentucky, meanwhile, is being led by new head coach Will Stein, and this matchup offers the Wildcats a chance to make an early statement against a major program. It is also Alabama’s first road game of the season, which only adds to the challenge.
In the simulation, Kentucky quarterback Kenny Minchey was the difference. He threw for 202 yards and three touchdowns, and the game played out as a comfortable win for the Wildcats. The source also notes that Minchey does not run often, but he can take off and change a game when needed.
That passing threat comes after Minchey’s opening performance, when he threw for 301 yards and four touchdowns in Kentucky’s first game of the season.
Alabama has its own dangerous quarterback in Keelon Russell, who was sharp in the opener against East Carolina. Russell passed for 286 yards, ran for 86 yards and scored once.
If Alabama is going to avoid the upset, Russell will need to stay patient and protect the football. The source makes clear that forcing throws against Kentucky’s defense could spell real trouble.
That is the reality around Alabama every week. Every snap gets picked apart, and the only standard that matters in Tuscaloosa is winning a National Championship.
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