Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama Crimson Tide is 4-1, riding a four-game winning streak. After a disappointing 31-17 loss to Florida State, their current momentum keeps their playoff and conference title hopes wide open. This week, Alabama is set to visit Missouri (5-0) at Faurot Field. The game’s result will have a significant impact on the SEC rankings, making it the marquee matchup of the week. Given the importance of the contest, Kalen DeBoer has been warned that Missouri’s sophomore could expose Alabama’s weakness.

On the October 7 episode of See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack, David Pollack and Brent Rollins previewed the Alabama vs. Missouri match-up. Brent Rollins highlighted that Missouri will be the sixth straight unbeaten opponent to face Alabama this season. Analysing the previous games, they warned DeBoer that their weakness would be exposed, not by Missouri’s QB Beau Pribula, but by the RB Ahmad Hardy. 

Missouri’s QB Beau Pribula, who started the season with a 93.3 passing grade in the first two games, got cooled off, lowering his grade to 62.5. “But the biggest thing in this game is Ahmad Hardy just absolutely licking his chops and be like, ‘Okay, I’m going to go get two hundo against Bama,” Brent Rollins said. He believes that Hardy will get 200 yards against Bama, based on Alabama’s games so far, where Georgia went 231 and 7.5 a carry, Vandy went 146 and 8.5 a carry.

He further added that Bama is ranked 60th in the Power Four in explosive run per play percentage allowed. The Crimson Tide has allowed 155.4 rushing yards per game so far, while the Seminoles ran for 230 yards. 

Since Alabama’s running defense has been shaky, they predict that Ahmad Hardy has a chance to put himself into the Heisman Trophy conversation this week. Both believe that Hardy is not in the Heisman candidate conversation, as Missouri hasn’t played a tough schedule yet. And therefore, “this is a chance.”

Why Kalen DeBoer should not take Ahmed Hardy lightly

Ahmad Hardy, in the 5 games played this season, rushed 103 times, running 730 yards, with an average of 7.1 yards per carry. In the game against Central AR, he rushed 10 times for 100 yards and scored 1 touchdown, whereas against Kansas, he rushed 25 times for 112 yards for 1 TD. He rushed 22 times for 250 yards for 3 touchdowns against Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin. He rushed 22 times for 138 yards for 1 TD against South Carolina, and 24 times for 130 yards and 3TD against UMass.

In his two-season collegiate football career, he rushed a total of 2,081 yards with an average of 6.1 yards per carry. David Pollack believes that Hardy is built differently. The 5-foot-10 sophomore is indeed running with a purpose, making people miss. If Bama didn’t fix its gaps and contain Hardy, it would be a difficult game for them. 

On the flip side, it will be difficult for Missouri if it fails to contain Alabama’s QB Ty Simpson. He has been a game-changer for Alabama this season, and what he is doing with his passing game is nothing short of magic. In the five games he played, Simpson completed 111 of 158 passes for 1,478 yards and 13 touchdowns, with an average of 9.4 yards. As of now, the betting odds favor Alabama as a 3.5 favorite against Missouri. So, who do you have this Saturday? Share with us in the comment section below.