Red Flags: 5 college football teams on upset alert in Week 2

1. Alabama Crimson Tide

Opponent: 11 Texas | Time: Saturday, Sept. 9, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN) | Spread: ALA -7.0

Alabama undoubtedly checked a box that, coming into the season, we were unsure of being certain after Week 1. Jalen Milroe is the starting quarterback. He played every meaningful snap against Middle Tennessee and, albeit against lesser competition, looked quite impressive. That's good news for the Crimson Tide coming into this marquee matchup against Texas.

Some people who were hyping up Texas in the preseason saw the Longhorns aimlessly wander through the first half against Rice, however, and immediately lost their moxie in that regard. But that's missing the forest for the trees.

Steve Sarkisian has one of the most talented offenses in the country. And it was abundantly clear that, for the majority of the win over Rice -- which ended up as a 30+ point victory -- Texas was playing as vanilla as possible. They weren't showing Alabama their hand, which was always the right move.

Texas has improved drastically in the trenches and, somehow, at the skill positions too. This is also a team that, if Quinn Ewers had not got injured in the first half last year, would've beat the Crimson Tide in Austin. Yes, this year's game is in Tuscaloosa, but Texas is also better while Alabama no longer has Bryce Young.

Most importantly, though, for as good as Milroe looked, he wasn't perfect. Moreover, he was able to mask some mistakes with athletic talent because it was Middle Tennessee -- that's not happening against the Longhorns with the athletes and players on that roster. Texas has a statement to make, and they are every bit capable of doing so at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday.