Alabama game-by-game predictions: ESPN’s FPI predicts Tide’s season

Defending national champion Alabama opens fall camp Friday, August 6.

The Crimson Tide lost a host of star power on offense in quarterback Mac Jones, wide receiver DeVonta Smith and running back Najee Harris; however, Nick Saban has stacked the roster full of other future first-round picks, and development has never been a problem in Tuscaloosa.

This year, Alabama opens up with former powerhouse Miami in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game from Atlanta. The Hurricanes, led by quarterback D’Eriq King, won’t be pushovers. Manny Diaz’s squad has some talent and a great offensive mind leading the charge in coordinator Rhett Lashlee.

ESPN’s Football Power Index recently released the game-by-game predictions for the Tide’s season. The index projects Saban’s team to finish 11-1 in the regular season. The Tide’s toughest game? That comes when Alabama travels to College Station to take on the Texas A&M Aggies, as the Tide have a 65.5 percent chance of winning that SEC West showdown according to the index.

Alabama’s second toughest game comes in Week 3 with a road trip to The Swamp to take on Florida. The Gators lost a host of offensive talent, but playing any Florida team in Gainesville isn’t easy.

Below are the FPI’s game-by-game predictions for Alabama:

• Sept. 4 vs. Miami: 81.5 percent chance of winning
• Sept. 11 vs. Mercer: 99.9 percent chance of winning
• Sept. 18 at Florida: 75.2 percent chance of winning
• Sept. 25 vs. Southern Miss: 99.1 percent chance of winning
• Oct. 2 vs. Ole Miss: 90.4 percent chance of winning
• Oct. 9 at Texas A&M: 65.6 percent chance of winning
• Oct. 16 at Mississippi State: 85.5 percent chance of winning
• Oct. 23 vs. Tennessee: 95.6 percent chance of winning
• Nov. 6 vs. LSU: 90.7 percent chance of winning
• Nov. 13 vs. New Mexico State: 99.9 percent chance of winning
• Nov. 20 vs. Arkansas: 94.5 percent chance of winning
• Nov. 27 at Auburn: 81.3 percent chance of winning

Will Alabama finish undefeated in the 2021 regular season again?

SDS Staff

Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics.