Another week has come and gone, and with it another victory for the Crimson Tide. Although a few injuries and a little damp weather stalled what was otherwise a well-oiled machine in Alabama, the Tide still proved to show its superior talent with a 42-10 win over the Missouri Tigers.

Again, Alabama didn’t play to its full potential the entire game. Still, it was fairly obvious it didn’t need to. As a matter of fact, in none of the games thus far this season has Alabama had to play up to its full potential to pull out a victory.

And, while that’s all fine and good, it does present a particular problem that may meet the Tide down the road. In fact, it’ll meet the Crimson Tide at home in Bryant-Denny Stadium in about two weeks’ time – because that is when the now-undefeated Mississippi State Bulldogs come to town.

Alabama will, for the first time this season, play a team that has not only lived up to expectations, but exceeded them this year. (If you don’t believe me, look at teams like Michigan and Arkansas).

That’s not the end of it, either. The following week, the Tide travels to Baton Rouge, La., to play not only one of the most talented teams in the nation, but in one of the most ominous stadiums in the country. That’s a tall order by anyone’s standards.

Now, I’m not saying Alabama doesn’t have what it takes to go through that two-week stretch unscathed. It’s still my opinion that Alabama has the most talented, well-coached team in the nation. And, when they play to their full potential, they are nearly unstoppable.

But here’s the problem: for the Tide to be unstoppable, it has to… drum roll, please… play up to its full potential. Not for a portion of the game. No, it has to play lights out the entire game, or at least the majority of it, which is something the Tide has struggled with thus far this season.

This is a team that hasn’t faced any real adversity so far – not really. That’s great, because it shows an accurate picture of how talented this team is: it doesn’t have to play to its full potential to soundly beat someone (here’s looking at you, Mizzou).

But if Alabama doesn’t play up to its standards against a team like LSU or Mississippi State or (quite possibly) teams like Florida, South Carolina or Georgia, it may very well be put in a strenuous situation. And that’s where this season could be won or lost.

If the Tide can play up to its full potential, handling any and all adversity that comes its way, Alabama may well be on its way to another incredible season. But Alabama still has to prove it can overcome adversity and play to its standards of play, on both sides of the ball, before fans can really start looking for No. 15.

There’s still a long way to go before all is said and done.