On3 Roundtable: Two decided advantages Texas holds over Alabama ahead of Week 2 tilt in Tuscaloosa

Texas would love nothing more than to get back the victory that they feel slipped away from them last season against Alabama. This time, the Longhorns head into enemy territory — but have two distinct advantages over the Tide, according to Inside Texas’ Bobby Burton.

“Texas has a defense returning nine of 11 starters. They are talented in the secondary, talented enough to man up on some guys, especially if the [Alabama] quarterback isn’t capable of getting the ball down the field,” Burton told JD PicKell on On3 Roundtable. “That would all Texas to put another man in the box, potentially and thwart Alabama’s run game enough.”

The only two player the Longhorn lost to the 2023 NFL Draft were LB Demarvion Overshown (Dallas Cowboys) and S Anthony Cook (Kansas City Chiefs). That means three of their top four tacklers — LB Jaylan Ford (119 total tackles), DB Jerrin Thompson (95 total) and DB Jahdae Barron (74 total) — will all lead head coach Steve Sarkisian’s defensive efforts this season.

Aside from the defense, the X-factor for Texas this season will be the performance of the wide receiving corps, Burton said. Not only is Xavier Worthy back and healthy, Sarkisian has added AD Mitchell from Georgia, Jordan Whittington is back. Isaiah Neyor, who transferred in from Wyoming last season and tore his ACL in fall camp, is another guy who could come in and be useful for Texas right away this season.

Worthy is an expected future first-round draft choice, while Mitchell enters the program with extensive College Football Playoff experience. Not only did Mitchell catch a touchdown pass to give the Bulldogs a lead they would never relinquish during the 2022 College Football Playoff Championship Game, but he also caught the game-winning score to give them 42-41 win over Ohio State in the 2022 Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl and College Football Playoff Semifinal.

That’s not all. Joining that veteran group is incoming five-star recruit Johntay Cook II. He compiled over 1,496 receiving and 28 touchdowns during his sophomore and junior seasons at DeSoto (TX) High School alone — and has expectations to do the same on the Forty Acres.

Will Texas’ veteran defense and potent offensive skill group be enough to overcome the Crimson Tide this season? Our questions will be answered when the Longhorns head to Bryant-Denny Stadium to take on Alabama on Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. ET. As of this report, Alabama sits as a 20.5-point favorite over Texas at home.