The 0-4 Georgia State Panthers travel to Tuscaloosa, Ala. to face the best team in college football, the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide.
This is the second meeting between the two schools. The first was in the Panthers’ final game of their 2010 inaugural season when the No. 11 Crimson Tide defeated the Panthers 63-7.
The Panthers are coming off a bye week that followed a devastating overtime loss to Jacksonville State.
Panthers head coach Trent Miles said he hopes to get rid of the bad taste of losing as his team goes to play one of the best programs in college football, according to Miles.
“Our program is extremely excited to go play Alabama, No. 1 team in the nation. You don’t get this opportunity many times in life,” Miles said.
A positive for the Panthers is the arrival of right tackle Grant King who was suspended from the team for the first four weeks for academic reasons.
King had started every game in the Panthers’ first three seasons at right tackle until this season.
King goes back to a depleted offensive line who has struggled to limit touches to the quarterback allowing nine sacks this season.
King is not guarenteed to start, and Miles said he will continue to play true freshman Brandon Pertile at the right guard position.
“Grant doesn’t get an automatic free pass right into starting…But, we’ll definitely play six guys” at offensive line, Miles said.
Panthers quarterback Ronnie Bell is coming off of one of his better performances of the season.
Bell threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns against Jacksonville State including a 75-yard touchdown pass to senior Albert Wilson on the first play of the game.
Bell and his offense will be going against the 27 ranked defense in the NCAA.
The Crimson Tide defense gave up five passing touchdowns in the game against Texas A&M, but has let up zero passing touchdowns in the rest of their games which included notable victories against Virginia Tech and Ole Miss.
News came Thursday morning that Alabama linebacker Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is suspended from Saturday’s game against the Panthers and possibly as many as three games.
Clinton-Dix was suspended because he “received an impermissible benefit,” according to CBS Sports.
Clinton-Dix is second on the defense in tackles with 24.
Linebacker C.J. Mosley leads the defense in tackles with 35, while defensive back Vinnie Sunseri has had two explosive interceptions for touchdowns this season for a combined 111 yards.
Alabama’s offense is led by their quarterback, and possible Heisman Trophy candidate, A.J. McCarron. McCarron has thrown 75-for-110 so far this season with 882 yards and six touchdown passes.
Receiver DeAndrew White has had the most success receiving for the Crimson Tide this season with two touchdown receptions. One of those touchdown receptions was on a 44-yard flea flicker to tie the game at 14 against Texas A&M.
Alabama’s most dangerous man is the return man is Christion Jones.
Jones has 373 yards and two touchdowns on kick and punt returns combined.
Jones is ranked 21 in individual all-purpose yards in the NCAA.
The game kickoffs in Tuscaloosa, Ala. at 12:21 p.m. and will be televised on SEC TV/ Peachtree TV and on the radio on 1340 AM The Fan 3.
