Roar, roar, roar—
The sound waves surged, the heat ignited.
AT&T Stadium was packed, all 90,000 seats sold out, marking the grand and raucous opening of a new football season.
Historically, Alabama Crimson Tide and USC Trojans had no deep rivalry. The two schools, separated by great distance, had only met seven times in their century-long histories. Their last matchup was back in 1985, when Alabama won.
If it weren't for the "Cowboys Kickoff Classic," these two teams likely wouldn't have crossed paths under the spotlight.
So, what drew such a massive crowd?
It was the "East vs. West" rivalry.
On the North American continent, the cultural, political, and economic competition between the East Coast, led by New York, and the West Coast, led by Los Angeles, mirrors the "North vs. South" divide but with even greater intensity and excitement.
The Trojans represented the West Coast: elite, white-collar, and middle-class.
The Crimson Tide represented the East Coast: blue-collar, working-class, and grassroots.
This clash, in the short eight-year history of the "Cowboys Kickoff Classic," was the first time such a matchup had occurred.
The topic set the stage for a full-scale explosion of interest.
Combined with the fan bases of both teams and the enthusiasm of NCAA and NFL fans eager for the new season, this scene came to life.
Unlike the preseason game at Bryant-Denny Stadium, which was a home game for Alabama, with the whole town supporting the team, today was a neutral venue. Fans from both sides flooded the stands, along with countless neutral spectators.
The atmosphere was electric—
"Go, Trojans, go!"
"Roll, Tide!"
Back and forth, tension crackling.
Listening closely, you could hear each fan voicing their support, cheering their teams on, with waves of sound colliding and swirling in the massive AT&T Stadium, creating an overwhelming sense of grandeur and excitement.
Though AT&T Stadium was slightly smaller than Bryant-Denny, today marked the true beginning of everything:
The first official game.
The start of a new season.
The louder the cheers, the more exhilarating; the more intense, the more thrilling; the more tumultuous, the more focused. Lance reveled in the burning energy, already falling in love with the feeling of battling on a stage before 100,000 fans.
Why not blow the whistle now?
Buzz, buzz, buzz.
The stadium fell silent.
As the number-one seed and defending champions, the Crimson Tide were the first to take the field.
The players gathered at the tunnel entrance, ready to go. Clark couldn't contain his excitement. Even Jacobs, though trying to keep a poker face, was visibly hyped, struggling to hide his emotions. Then, he saw Lance, who suddenly startled Clark.
"Roar."
Clark couldn't hold it in. "Ah!"
He let out a scream and then completely lost control. "Ah, ah, ah! Lance, I'm about to go out there as a Crimson Tide player! Ahhhh! Ahhhh!"
Lance's smile widened as he clenched his fist and started chanting in a low voice, "Roar! Roar! Roar!"
One after another.
Clark joined in, and soon the whole team was chanting along. Jacobs glanced around in panic as his teammates followed suit, and he couldn't help but join the chorus, his voice rising uncontrollably.
Finally, they took the field.
"Roar!"
"Roar!"
The players charged out of the tunnel, and flames erupted in all directions, igniting a stadium-wide roar that shook the world.
The Crimson Tide surged forward like a wave.
When the Trojans took the field, the echoing cheers of "Fight On" from their fans were completely drowned out by the lingering storm of Crimson Tide supporters.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, however, wasn't paying attention to any of this. His first instinct was to scan the opposing team—until he saw—
Number 23.
Found him!
Wait, that's it?
JuJu looked him over. Standing at 6'1" (185 cm) and 215 pounds (98 kg), JuJu was about the same size as Lance, who even looked a bit skinnier. For a wide receiver, this build was perfect for speed and agility, but for a running back?
Hah!
JuJu could hardly contain his laughter. Was this skinny little guy supposed to be Derrick Henry's successor?
Alabama must have lost its mind. Saban had to be losing it if this was their distraction tactic—they should've picked someone more convincing.
JuJu couldn't help it. His grin stretched wide, and he relaxed, turning to joke with his teammates, feeling as bright as the June sun.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the 2016 NCAA season opener is about to begin, featuring the defending champions, the Alabama Crimson Tide, against the USC Trojans."
"Both teams have undergone some changes during the offseason. On paper, the Trojans have a new quarterback. Helton has chosen redshirt freshman Sam Darnold, and based on the information we've gathered, he's the most notable new face. Will the Trojans' offense finally return to form?"
"And as always, Alabama's defense remains outstanding, which will be their key to competing for the championship again. However, their already shaky offense took a further hit with Derrick Henry moving to the pros. His replacement as starting running back is an unfamiliar face."
"Once a… uh, excuse me for stumbling, I'm just confirming this… a mixed martial artist?"
"Oh, my God."
"People like to joke that football is like boxing, but it's not about fighting! Saban starting a mixed martial artist as his running back? Jesus, this might be old Nick's biggest gamble since his time coaching the Miami Dolphins."
The broadcast studio erupted in laughter—
Clearly, Saban's time with the Dolphins remained a sore spot in his career, a period remembered as particularly messy.
But now, it seemed like there was fresh material for discussion.
"The game is about to begin."
"The Trojans won the coin toss and chose to take the field first, meaning Alabama will start on offense."
"So, we're about to see how old Nick plans to arrange his offense. Maybe, just maybe, we'll witness a football version of Rocky?"
On the field, Alabama's offense huddled up, with offensive captain Cam Robinson giving a speech—
In football, the captain wasn't necessarily the team's star player but someone who kept the team united.
So, the offensive captain wasn't always the quarterback.
Robinson was the left tackle, a critical position because Hurts, being right-handed, had his blind side on the left. The left tackle had to give the quarterback 100% protection, allowing him to trustfully turn his back during plays.
That was Robinson's role on the team.
"Hey, guys, our goal isn't just the Trojans. It's the championship. The Trojans are just the first step."
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