There are 12 opponents on Alabama’s 2022 schedule, highlighted by a huge non-conference game at Texas, a trip to Death Valley against LSU, a home game against Texas A&M and the Iron Bowl.
But there’s another game that stands out to at least one analyst as the “most important” game for the Crimson Tide this season. In a feature for 247Sports, analyst Isaac Trotter argued that their road game against Arkansas is the big one.
Trotter explained that Arkansas has the potential to be a trap game with Alabama focused on being prepared for the Texas A&M game the following week. He believes that the crowd will be raucous and eager to get a big win over the Tide.
“Everyone will be focused on Alabama’s matchup against Texas A&M the following week, but this matchup against the Hogs will be enormous. Nick Saban is at his best keeping his team centered on the task at hand and not looking ahead. Alabama has to be locked in against a Hogs team that has bad intentions and would love nothing more than to notch a signature win over Alabama in front of a raucous home crowd. But Bryce Young and Will Anderson will have their team ready to go against Arkansas before preparing to hand Texas A&M a fat slab of humble pie,” Trotter wrote.
But if history is any indication, Alabama fans really don’t have a whole lot to worry about. The Tide are riding a 14-year winning streak into Fayetteville – only three of which have been decided by one score.
Nick Saban has never lost to Arkansas since joining the team in 2007, and the oddsmakers don’t believe that streak will end in 2022.
That isn’t to say that the Razorbacks can’t get it done. Nearly all streaks get broken eventually and anything can happen in college football.
Is Arkansas the most important game on Alabama’s schedule this year?