What the media is saying about No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 20 USC

There are a lot of things that make this matchup the most exciting of Week 1.

Alabama is coming off of yet another national title, Tide offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin has some controversial (as if he knows any other kind) ties to the Trojans, the history between the two schools is steeped with significance … do you need more reasons to get hyped?

The last time these two powerhouses met, the Tide crushed the Trojans 24-3 in the 1985 Aloha Bowl. Arguably, the most significant matchup was in 1970 as college teams in the South were just starting to really integrate. Needless to say, this matchup always has been and always will be a thrill to watch.

There’s just no denying that this game has everyone buzzing. Here is what a few media outlets are saying about this matchup:

1. The battle has already begun off the field … over T-shirts.

We all know that as soon as any shade is thrown on the Tide, the coaching staff displays said shade in the locker room to provide a little extra incentive. So when the USC bookstore started selling “Roll Tears Roll” T-shirts, a number of media outlets, including USA Today, warned the Trojans that they’d probably regret it. Aside from the fact that the Trojans may indeed regret ever buying the T-shirt if the game goes as predicted, they awoke the sleeping giant, and the giant’s fan base. Alabama fans can’t respond on the field, but they did respond with a T-shirt of their own, reminding USC of its unfortunate ties to a more infamous O.J. than the Tide’s O.J. Howard. Tasteless or hilarious? You be the judge.

2. There’s another battle brewing on the field, but it’s not between the football teams.

If you’ve ever been to an Alabama game in Bryant-Denny Stadium during the reign of Nick Saban, then you’d definitely recognize “Tusk” as soon as the Million Dollar Band played the first note. If you’ve been to a USC game in the Coliseum in the last four decades, then you’ve heard it there, too. According to the Los Angeles Times, both bands consider the Fleetwood Mac hit their unofficial fight song. Alabama, which usually performs “Tusk” before the game begins, will play it throughout the game because of time constraints at the beginning. The Trojans, who usually play it in a post-game performance, will instead put it in their pre-game show, in what seems to be a show of ownership. However, AL.com refutes the claim that the battle even exists.

3. This game may as well be Day 1 of the 2017 NFL Combine.

This is the NFL’s No. 1 game for scouts in Week 1. It’s not just USC vs. Alabama. It’s JuJu Smith-Schuster vs. Marlon Humphrey. It’s Justin Davis vs. Reuben Foster. It’s Adoree’ Jackson vs. Calvin Ridley. And its Zach Banner against most of the Tide defensive line. This matchup promises to be the ultimate Week 1 playground for NFL scouts.

4. The quarterback battle is still going strong.

While depth-chart judgement day may have brought relief to some, Cooper Bateman, Jalen Hurts and Blake Barnett still have no confirmation on who won the job. Everyone else can breathe, but as ESPN points out, the ubiquitous “-OR-” means there’s still a lot of pressure hanging over these three quarterbacks. Will it be the seasoned redshirt junior with the most experience under his belt? Will it be the young gun with dual-threat talent? Will it be the sheer athlete with Heisman hopes? Saban loves a good mystery, and the press is eating it up.

5. USC head coach Clay Helton has something not many teams have had in the past few years.

Respect for Kiffin. Kiffin will be facing his former team for the first time since his controversial exit. It’s no secret his relationship with USC ended badly. And surprisingly, this reunion wasn’t as discussed as we expected. But Helton knows what to expect, according to an ESPN blog. More importantly, he knows that Kiffin is a heck of a coach and that his defense will have to be on its toes when facing the Tide offense.

Jessi Lee