| Alabama, led by QB AJ McCarron, should have no problem getting to 4-0 with Florida Atlantic coming to town on Saturday. (AP Images) |
Florida Atlantic (1-2, 0-1 Sun Belt) at No. 1 Alabama (3-0, 1-0 SEC)
Kickoff: Saturday, 5 p.m. ET (Pay per view/ESPN Gameplan)
Spread: Alabama by 50
Watchability: Don’t waste your time or your money on this one unless you’re a true Alabama or Florida Atlantic fan. Alabama has looked unstoppable against even major competition so far this season, so it should be able to practically name the score in this one.
Shining stars: Alabama: Take your pick. We’ll focus on QB AJ McCarron, who has completed 36 of 56 attempts (62.5 percent) for 607 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions this season. He’ll have all day to throw behind the best offensive line in the country, and though WR isn’t Alabama’s strength, opposing defenses have to respect the run so much that there is plenty of room to operate in the secondary for McCarron’s targets. Florida Atlantic: QB Graham Wilbert doesn’t have huge numbers, but he played decently against Georgia last week -- completing 18 of 33 passes (54.5 percent) for 183 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Look for the 6-foot-6, 225-pound, senior to make a few impressive throws against the Crimson Tide.
Who could steal the show: Alabama: CB Dee Milliner is a threat to intercept any pass in his general vicinity. He had an impressive pick and return against Michigan in the season opener, and he almost had one against Arkansas last week. He just barely let the tip of the ball hit the ground on what looked to be his second interception of the season. Florida Atlantic: LB Adarius Glanton made what might be the play of the year for the Owls when he ran an interception back 42 yards for a touchdown last week against Georgia. He also chipped in eight tackles in the Owls’ 56-20 loss to the Bulldogs.
Magic number for Alabama: 2. It has two consecutive shutouts after blanking Western Kentucky 35-0 and Arkansas 52-0.
Magic number for Florida Atlantic: 7. The Owls are winless in seven games against the SEC.
The game comes down to: Basically, Alabama just needs to show up. The Crimson Tide could play their worst game of the year and still win this one easily. Alabama turning the ball over or committing dumb penalties might be the only way Florida Atlantic gets on the scoreboard.
Eye on College Football's take: Despite some big talk, the Owls have as much chance of winning this game as someone does winning the lottery via numbers that appeared in their head after being struck by a meteor and a lightning bolt at the same time while finding a rabbit's foot in a heap of four-leaf clovers on Leap Day and ... well, you get the idea. But FAU can at least dream of keeping it competitive for a half if the Owls can do what no one else has done vs. the Tide so far this year: turn them over and generate some field position. So far in 2012, not one opponent's possession has started closer to the Alabama end zone than the opponent's own 39-yard-line. Achieving that goal would both give the Owls' offense a shred of hope of denting the scoreboard and make Alabama's offense (which has started slowly each of the last two weeks) work for its points. Anything else, and it's 35-0 or worse by halftime. Oh, and Alabama's key to "winning" this game is simply to get out of it without having any contributors hurt. -- Jerry Hinnen
Prediction: Alabama 49, Florida Atlantic 0
For more up-to-the minute news and analysis from SEC bloggers Larry Hartstein and Daniel Lewis, follow @CBSSportsSEC.