The Tide begins preparations for its home finale with the Bears this Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama football team began the new week of practice on Tuesday afternoon, putting in a two-hour session in full pads outdoors on the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields.

The Crimson Tide’s practice to open the new week focused on making improvements in all areas following Saturday’s 31-24 victory in a thriller over then-No.16 Mississippi State. Next up for Alabama is a Saturday matchup with Mercer on Senior Day at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Tide and Bears are scheduled for an 11:01 a.m. CT kickoff on SEC Network with Tom Hart and Jordan Rogers calling the game from the booth, while Cole Cubelic patrols the sidelines.

Saturday’s matchup between the Crimson Tide and the Bears will be the final home game of the 2017 season. Alabama and Mercer have met twice, with the Tide coming away with a pair of 20-0 victories in Tuscaloosa in 1939 and 1940. Mercer is in its fifth season since reviving its football program in 2013. The school previously competed in football from 1892-1941 before discontinuing the sport from 1942-2012.