Western Kentucky vs Alabama Full Game Replay 31 Aug 2024 College Football Week 1
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Western Kentucky vs #5 Alabama Full Game Replay
2024 NCAA College Football - Week 1
Bryant-Denny Stadium
7:00 PM, August 31, 2024
Coverage: ESPN
Tuscaloosa, AL
Attendance: 100 077
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers vs #5 Alabama Crimson Tide What to Watch:
On Saturday, the No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide will visit the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in their debut game under head coach Kalen DeBoer. Nick Saban, who departed at the end of the previous season, was replaced by the former Washington coach. Under head coach Tyson Helton, Western Kentucky has won eight or nine games in four of its five seasons, but it has yet to win a Conference USA championship since 2016. This is their first encounter since Alabama easily defeated them 38–10 in 2016.
Bryant-Denny Stadium will host kickoff on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. The advantage for Alabama is 31.5 points.
Even though Alabama is starting a new chapter in its history, it still has the components needed to contend for another national title this year. Playing for a top offensive coach, quarterback Jalen Milroe placed higher in the 2023 Heisman Trophy voting than any other returning college football player. Before going 14-1 and placing second nationally the previous season, DeBoer guided Washington to an 11-2 record in 2022.
The Crimson Tide recently won the SEC Championship and qualified for the College Football Playoffs.
They have a formidable front seven and several offensive linemen returning, which is bad news for Western Kentucky's attack, which finished No. 119 in the FBS in rushing yards per game the previous season. In eight consecutive season openers and eight of its previous 11 games overall, Alabama has covered the spread.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers won 10 of its last 12 games in Week 1, demonstrating their propensity of starting the season strong. In addition, the Hilltoppers have covered in eight of their previous twelve away games, and they replaced Austin Reed with a good quarterback. After putting up impressive stats at Texas State the previous season, TJ Finley takes over as the starting player.
There may be some growing pains for Finley because the Alabama secondary is young and changing formations under the new coaching staff. Throwing for 298 yards and three touchdowns, Finley led Texas State to an unexpected victory over Baylor to start the 2023 season. Western Kentucky has the resources to cover this wide spread because he has a number of talented wide receivers at his disposal.