The No. 11 Texas Longhorns will head to Bryant-Denny Stadium to take on the third-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in a Week 2 primetime showdown. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET with ESPN handling the broadcast. The game is a rematch of last year’s battle, which Alabama won 20-19. Texas is 1-0 after a 37-10 win over the Rice Owls while Alabama easily dispatched the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders 56-7.
SP+ Rankings
Texas: 13th overall, 17th offense, 12th defense
Alabama: 1st overall, 3rd offense, 7th defense
Injury update
Texas
RB C.J. Baxter — Probable (ribs)
Alabama
WR Emmanuel Henderson Jr. — Out (hip)
S Jaylen Key — Questionable (undisclosed)
DB Malachi Moore — Questionable (undisclosed)
WR Thaiu Jones-Bell — Out (undisclosed)
ATS/Total
Against The Spread in 2023 (check here)
Texas: 0-1 ATS
Alabama: 1-0 ATS
Total in 2023 (check here)
Texas: Over 0-1
Alabama: Over 1-0
Current lines at DraftKings Sportsbook
Spread: Alabama -7.5
Total: 54.5
Moneyline: Alabama -290, Texas +235
Opening line: Alabama -6.5
Opening total: 64.5
Weather
Sunny skies with a temperature of 85 at kickoff. Winds out of the SSW at 5-10 MPH
The Pick Texas +7.5
Expect another tight contest here, as Texas is confident it can play with Alabama after last year’s game. Longhorns QB Quinn Ewers was nearly perfect until Dallas Baker knocked him out with a crushing hit. He’ll play the whole game and Texas might even lead at halftime. But Alabama, behind a much more physical offensive line, will eventually wear down the Longhorns and prevail in the end.
Alabama 28, Texas 21.