Dennis Dodd, who covers college football nationally for CBSSports.com, was in Tuscaloosa on Tuesday writing about Alabama’s showdown with Texas A&M this week. The Crimson White caught up with Dodd to get his thoughts and prediction on the biggest game of the college football season.

The Crimson White: What other games in recent college football history have generated this much hype?

Dennis Dodd: You have to understand, these guys have played six 1 vs. 2 games since 2008. So that means that a guy like McCarron has at least been around for five of those. So it’s pretty regular for them. This is 1 vs. 6. And I believe it when they say, “Yeah it’s a big game but we’ve played in these before.” I think going on the road is a big difference. They lost here against LSU in 2011, they lost last year at home against A&M. This is a little more dicey going on the road.

And it’s almost like a revenge game for [Texas A&M]. Because they’re playing the defending national champions, and they’ve already beaten them. So they have to back it up and ratify it or something.

But these guys are used to playing big games.

CW: At what point did you know this game would be such a big game?

DD: It was right after the week of the championship game when you start looking at next year and you say, “Whoah, they play in week three.” That’s when it came on the radar for me.

CW: How much did Johnny Manziel’s offseason play into the hype for this game?

DD: A lot. I still think it would have been big. What it has done is make Alabama the team wearing the white hat Saturday. I’m not saying they’re the dark lords of college football. But they’re dominant, one of the best ever. They’re the good guys going in. They’re trying to smack this kid down. This petulant 20-year-old who’s had this wacky offseason.

They’re the good guys. If they win, hey, good for college football. White bread, and apple pie and Alabama football.

CW: Do you think Nick Saban got caught off guard last year by A&M?

DD: I truly think that the physical and mental toll that LSU took had a lot to do with it. They had gotten over that hump – unbelievable game. One of the few times I can remember ever in this current run that Alabama’s had to come from behind late.

So you’re mentally exhausted. You can’t get up 12 weeks in a row. You just can’t. And they played Mississippi State the week before.

So here’s a team that can exploit you, and they do, it’s 20-0 after one. And then you have to spend the rest of the game coming back. I think that was the biggest thing.

CW: Do you have a prediction for the game?

DD: I’ll pick Alabama because they’ll fix the offensive line, Amari Cooper will have a big game. The two weakest points of the game go against each other: offensive line of Alabama and the defensive line of Texas A&M. So that kind of cancels each other out.

Alabama will try to do what it does to most teams. They’ll try to hold the ball, make them score on as many possessions as they can, but in a constricted space. And on the road that serves them well. This team plays well on the road in big games.