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Alabama takes breather from SEC play

Nov 1, 2008 - 10:52 AM Arkansas State (4-3) at (2) Alabama (8-0), 3:00 pm EDT

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama (Ticker) -- With Alabama fans starting to taste a trip to the Georgia Dome for the Southeastern Conference championship game the first weekend in December, the Crimson Tide will take a breather from league play.

Sporting the third-longest winning streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision, second-ranked Alabama hosts Arkansas State of the Sun Belt Conference on Saturday.

Alabama fans are expecting a cakewalk, but the Crimson Tide have not forgotten their last game against a Sun Belt opponent - a 21-14 home loss to Louisiana-Monroe on November 17 last season.

The Crimson Tide (8-0) extended their winning streak to nine games with last week's 29-9 win over Tennessee. The streak started with a victory over Colorado in last year's Independence Bowl.

No. 3 Penn State and No. 5 Texas Tech have each won 10 in a row.

Last week's win over Tennessee gave the Crimson Tide a two-game lead in the SEC West, meaning it can clinch the division title at Louisiana State on November 8. Alabama has not played in the SEC championship since beating Florida, 34-7, in the 1999 title game.

Although the Crimson Tide appear to be an overwhelming favorite this week, they cannot afford a slip if they want to stay in the national championship race.

Alabama remained No. 2 in the BCS standings, behind Texas and ahead of Penn State, which narrowed the gap somewhat on the Crimson Tide.

Arkansas State (4-3) has been off since suffering a 28-23 loss to Louisiana-Lafayette, which scored the winning touchdown in the final minute.

Alabama boasts the top rushing attack in the SEC (205.4 ypg) led by Glen Coffee, the conference's third-leading rusher with 838 yards and six touchdowns.