The Texas hype-train has been building for months, and ESPN's Desmond Howard is firmly aboard. Howard wasn't afraid to let hoards of screaming Alabama fans know just how much of a Longhorn believer he is ahead of Saturday's prime time clash between Alabama and Texas when he picked against the Crimson Tide.
College GameDay is in Tuscaloosa for the early season showdown, and Dez went pro wrestling mode when he passionately declared, "Texas is gonna beat Alabama." Howard tossed aside the Colorado hat he had put on minutes earlier picking the Buffaloes and out of nowhere pulled up a Texas Longhorn-branded folding chair.
Bruh @DesmondHoward is wild for this ???
?: @CollegeGameDay pic.twitter.com/pv9kWv1pcl
— Full-Time Dame ? (@DP_NFL) September 9, 2023
He lifted it overhead going full heel in front the booing crowd of Crimson Tide faithful. Luckily his WWE impression ended before Pat Mcafee took a chair shot, but Howard's point was made. He believes in Steve Sarkisian, Quinn Ewers, and the Longhorns. Enough to pick them to beat Nick Saban's squad in Bryant-Denny Stadium. It will take a truly special performance from Texas to back up Desmond Howard's theatrics.
Of course, this is also a nod to the infamous and very viral brawl that took place on a dock in Montgomery, Ala., which is why so many people were laughing their faces off on social media.
2019 was the last time Alabama lost a football game at home, and that year it took LSU and Joe Burrow's magic to defeat the Crimson Tide 46-41. Can Ewers, Xavier Worthy, and the Longhorn offense muster up a similar performance in extremely hostile territory? If they can pull off the upset, Texas would be only the ninth team in the Saban era to win in Tuscaloosa. Alabama has amassed an amazing 102-8 record during Nick Saban's tenure. Even more impressive perhaps is the fact the Tide have rolled to a 20-4 record in their 24 ranked matchups at home under Saban.
So is there a recipe for beating Alabama at home? Not really, but scoring a lot of points always helps. Burrow's heroics and the Johnny Manziel 2012 upset are probably the most memorable Alabama losses in recent seasons and both games turned into shootouts of sorts down the stretch. If Sarkisian and the Longhorns want to play spoiler in Tuscaloosa, an offensive explosion is their best bet.
In last year's matchup in Austin, Texas and Quinn Ewers looked primed to do just that. Ewers was in sync leading Texas down the field early against a stout Alabama defense before being knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury. Backup Hudson Card provided an entertaining battle that gave Alabama more than they bargained for, but a Texas loss was the still end result. Ewers is back, healthy, and ready to take over not just the Texas offense, but potentially the college football world.
Alabama is not the same seemingly unbeatable juggernaut they have been in most years lately, as Saban sees no true proven starter at quarterback for the first time in years. Desmond Howard, Texas fans, and Alabama haters around the nation think now is the perfect time for another rare Alabama upset.
It may not matter. Alabama is always incredibly talented and still coached by the same man who accumulated those absurd records. Texas might hope Howard's folding chair outburst doesn't make it to Saban's desk as bulletin board material before kickoff
