Alabama soccer’s 2022 schedule is loaded with thrilling SEC video games and an attention-grabbing non-conference recreation that may ship the Crimson tIde to Austin, Texas. General, there are many causes for Alabama followers to stay up for all 12 video games on the schedule for the upcoming season.
On the finish of the day, all of it comes right down to what occurs on the sphere. There are contests that some would count on to be boring, however change into a thriller. Take the 2021 Iron Bowl for instance, and even the 2018 Alabama recreation in opposition to The Citadel at residence, the place the rating was tied at halftime.
The upcoming 2022 schedule options video games that may showcase some superb expertise on the gridiron and others that include some severe baggage. Listed here are how we rank them.
12
Austin Peay
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Cause: This recreation is final on this listing for a motive. If I’m being trustworthy, it’s a toss-up between Austin Peay and UL-Monroe for the final spot. Austin Peay lands at No. 12 as a result of it’s late within the season and Crimson Tide followers shall be targeted on the Iron Bowl, which would be the following week, and probably the SEC championship.
11
UL-Monroe
Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports activities
Cause: Please refer again to the Austin Peay reasoning to know why UL-Monroe ranks No. 11. The one factor serving to this recreation’s pleasure issue is that it’s early within the season, shall be following the extremely anticipated Texas recreation and is the final non-SEC matchup for a number of months.
10
Utah State
Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports activities
Cause: Does a motive even must be supplied for this one? It’s the primary recreation of the season for an Alabama group that misplaced within the nationwide championship recreation. That is the primary alternative followers, different packages and analysts must see the Crimson Tide in motion. It’s additionally the primary season-opening contest Alabama could have in a non-neutral website in fairly a while.
9
Mississippi State
The Montgomery Advertiser
Cause: The primary SEC recreation cracks the listing. Mike Leach appears to be having his group development in the proper route, however it’s not sufficient to seem aggressive within the preseason and there aren’t any storylines to observe as of but main as much as this recreation. To not say followers received’t be excited for it, however there are different highly-anticipated matchups on the schedule.
8
Vanderbilt
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Cause: The final time these two groups squared off was early on within the 2017 season. It was the primary time anybody had seen Tua Tagovailoa take the sphere as a member of the Crimson Tide, which was thrilling within the second. Vanderbilt, although now below a brand new head coach, appears to be caught on the backside of the convention. Alabama hung up 59 factors within the 2017 matchup, whereas not permitting a single level. That recreation was on the highway. Now again in Tuscaloosa, followers shall be excited to see what number of factors this high-powered offense will be capable to put up.
7
LSU
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Cause: It’s at all times an thrilling environment when these two groups face off. Sadly for the Tigers, it hasn’t been aggressive for the reason that Joe Burrow-led 2019 season. LSU is now coaches by Brian Kelly, previously of Notre Dame. Whereas will probably be a little bit of a welcoming celebration for Kelly, there’s nothing that significantly stands out about this matchup over others decrease on the listing.
6
Auburn
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Cause: The 2021 Iron Bowl had each football-watching Alabamian on the sting of their seats. Scratch that, the complete school soccer world. Bryan Harsin had fairly the offseason however shall be returning for a second season at Auburn. Although the Warfare Eagle Tigers gave Alabama a four-overtime scare on the highway final season, this one’s in Tuscaloosa. If we’re basing the joy issue off of final 12 months’s contest, this can be a top-three matchup. Nonetheless, it’s not anticipated to be as shut because it was in 2021.
5
Ole Miss
(AP Photograph/Bruce Newman)
Cause: Lane Kiffin. Most followers nonetheless have their popcorn prepared from final 12 months’s assembly between these two groups. Whereas this isn’t anticipated to be essentially the most aggressive recreation, Kiffin loves doing the sudden, which is at all times thrilling. He’ll hope to observe in Jimbo Fisher and Kirby Sensible’s footsteps and attempt to be the third former Saban assistant to defeat him.
4
Arkansas
(Photograph by Wesley Hitt/Getty Photos)
Cause: Sam Pittman has this group on the rise. The Razorbacks are not simply one other SEC group, however an in-conference competitor for the Crimson Tide. Gone are the times that this recreation is neglected by Alabama followers. Regardless of some expertise misplaced to the NFL draft, Arkansas is a program able to placing up a battle. This can be a recreation the place pleasure isn’t constructed off of storylines, however expertise on the sphere an some strong teaching.
3
Tennessee
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Cause: Each Alabama fan appears to be like ahead to the Third Saturday in October. Nonetheless, as seen final season, Josh Heupel might have the Volunteers heading down the proper path. Tennessee didn’t appear all too afraid of the Crimson Tide final season, let’s see what a proficient roster can do with a second-year head coach itching to make this system higher.
2
Texas
Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports activities
Cause: There are such a lot of causes as to why this recreation shall be thrilling. It’s on the highway in Austin, Steve Sarkisian faces off in opposition to Saban, quite a few gamers that transferred out of Alabama joined the Longhorns and it’s two of the most important manufacturers in all of school soccer squaring off in an early common season recreation. The result of this contest will reshape the School Soccer Playoff image a method or one other in Week 2.
1
Texas A&M
Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports activities
Cause: The sport comes secondary to the meat between Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher. Positive, this recreation was already extremely anticipated due to the upset Texas A&M pulled off in Kyle Subject final season. Nonetheless, the NIL feud between Saban and Jimbo has everybody questioning how the 2 former colleagues will react to seeing one another on the sphere.