It's cupcake week in Tuscaloosa. No. 2 Alabama's annual FCS matchup will come against Mercer, as the Crimson Tide (7-2) welcomes the Bears (9-1) to Bryant-Denny Stadium for a 1 p.m. CT kickoff on Saturday.

This will be the fifth matchup between the two programs with Alabama winning the previous four. The Tide recorded a 48-14 victory during the last meeting on Sept. 11, 2021. Alabama is currently a 42.5-point favorite for Saturday's game, according to DraftKings.

Here's how Tide Illustrated's staff thinks the game will play out.