A little knowledge can go a long way. But, as Nick Saban sees it, knowledge can also go both ways.

The Alabama coach was asked about facing former Alabama assistant and current Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian when the Tide (1-0) visits the Longhorns (1-0) at 11 a.m. Saturday on Fox.

“We’ve seemed to play several teams now that kind of know us,” Saban said of opponents coached by his former assistants. “But you act like we don’t know them. Just because somebody knows you when they play you, it doesn’t mean they’re going to beat you. And just because you know them when you play them doesn’t mean you’re gonna beat them either.”

To borrow from Billy Joel and Barry White, don’t go changing trying to please me. Or trying to beat me.

“To think we’re going to go change a lot of things that we do, that our players know how to do, that they do well, that they have confidence in, I don’t think that’s the answer … in what you need to do,” Saban said.

Shedrick Jackson (11) gains yardage for Auburn in last week’s victory over Mercer. (Todd Van Emst / AU Athletics)

Auburn coach Bryan Harsin dispelled the notion that if you have two quarterbacks, you don’t have a true No. 1. Starter T.J. Finley and Oregon transfer Robby Ashford got significant playing time as the Tigers downed Mercer 42-16 in their opener.

“To me, like this whole one-quarterback system, I think everybody feels if you have two guys playing there’s some controversy, or the one guy’s not good enough,” the coach said. “I just started to look at it like these guys are all football players. They’re here to play, just like our tailbacks, just like our tight ends, just like our linebackers. If they’re good enough to play, then we should find a role for (them).”

Harsin said his long-held philosophy is that if players deserve to play, he’ll try to get them on the field.

“It doesn’t really impact us, necessarily, as far as calling plays and doing all that because we have packages, and we have plays,” he said. “Both guys can run the set of plays that we have in the game plan. We want to keep one guy in, and as the game went on, we could take one guy out; we keep one guy in, and we could have went back and forth —  that’s kind of the beauty of it.”

Finley and Ashford will certainly be on the field Saturday as the Tigers host San Jose State (1-0) at 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU.

Liberty spoiled UAB’s first game at Protective Stadium last year. Quarterback Malik Willis put on a show in the Flames’ 36-12 victory, finishing with 431 total yards and three touchdowns.

Willis is now a backup with the NFL’s Tennessee Titans, but that doesn’t mean Liberty (1-0) won’t flex some offensive muscle when it hosts the Blazers (1-0) at 5 p.m. on ESPN Plus. Not with coach Hugh Freeze still calling plays.

“Hugh Freeze is one of the best play-callers in college football,” UAB interim head coach Bryant Vincent said. “We’ve got our hands full with two dynamic running backs. They’re explosive, they’re fast, they’re tough. We’ve got to be prepared for tempo, we’ve got to be prepared for both quarterbacks, tackle well (and) we’ve got to communicate well on the defensive side of the ball.”

“Never underestimate the heart of a player.”

Charlie Goode is the definition of a team player…And on his first collegiate play, he blocked a punt.#WinAsOne pic.twitter.com/FRQsPEEhnA

— UAB Football (@UAB_FB) September 7, 2022

In other Alabama college and high school football action:

Jacksonville State at Murray State: The Gamecocks (2-0) are flying high, averaging more than 38 points a game. Rich Rodriguez would like to see that continue at 6 p.m. Saturday against the Racers (0-1).

Alabama A&M at Troy: The Bulldogs are 0-1 after falling 59-0 to UAB. They’ll again take on a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent, facing the Trojans at 6 p.m. Saturday. Troy stepped up in competition last week, falling 28-10 at then-No. 21 Ole Miss.

The Jacksonville State Gamecocks are putting up big numbers so far under first-year head coach Rich Rodriguez. (Jacksonville State University Athletics)

Samford at Georgia: Chris Hatcher’s Bulldogs are 1-0 after beating Football Championship Subdivision No. 8 Kennesaw State 27-17. This week, Samford faces bigger canines in the defending national champion and Associated Press No. 2 Bulldogs (1-0) at 3 p.m. Saturday on the SEC Network.

Alabama State at UCLA: The Eddie Robinson Jr. era is off to a great start as the Hornets are 2-0 with wins over Howard and Miles. They’ll kick off at 4 p.m. Saturday in storied Rose Bowl stadium. The Bruins are 1-0 after downing Bowling Green 45-17.

UVA Wise at North Alabama: The Lions are 0-1 after suffering a 3-point loss last week at Indiana State. They hope to put a mark in the win column at 6 p.m. Saturday as they host the Cavaliers (0-0) of Wise, Virginia.

Huntingdon at Birmingham-Southern: The Panthers are 1-0 after topping McMurry 26-9. This week, the Wesley Cup will be on the line as BSC hosts its in-state Division III rivals from Montgomery at 6 p.m. Saturday. The current Panther four-game win streak – which includes the first round of the 2021 Division III playoffs – is their longest ever against the Hawks, who lost 41-34 to visiting Linfield in their opener.

West Alabama at Miles: The Division II Golden Bears hung tough before falling 21-13 to FCS Alabama State. Miles hosts another in-state opponent in the fellow Division II Tigers at 6 p.m. Saturday. UWA comes in 1-0, having beaten Morehouse 24-16.

South Alabama at Central Michigan: The Jaguars (1-0) thumped Nicholls State 48-7 at home last week. They’ll kick off at noon Saturday vs. the Chippewas (0-1) in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.

Tuskegee at Hampton: Fort Valley State grounded the Golden Tigers (0-1) 21-6 in the Red Tail Classic last week. Tuskegee will look for its first win with Reginald Ruffin as head coach at 5 p.m. against the Pirates, who beat Howard 31-28 in Hampton’s only game to date.

Idle this week: Faulkner.

HIGH SCHOOLS

Class 7A: Opelika (3-0) is No. 7 in the latest Alabama Sports Writers Association poll. The Bulldogs will certainly get a test Friday as they welcome No. 1 Central-Phenix City (3-0).

Must be Central week! #SOS https://t.co/lt3Hhzig3f

— Opelika Football (@footballopelika) September 7, 2022

Class 6A: No. 10 Spanish Fort has followed a tight opening loss with a pair of victories. Friday, the Toros go on the road, visiting No. 3. Saraland (3-0).

Class 5A: No. 6 Ramsay (2-1) has alternated wins and losses this year, sandwiching a 16-point loss to Parker between wins over Hueytown and Jasper. The Rams have their work cut out for them if they are to break that pattern as they head to No. 2 Pleasant Grove (2-0) tonight. It is one of several games rescheduled because of anticipated rainy conditions Friday.

Class 4A: No. 5. Oneonta entertains No. 8 Cherokee County tonight in a battle of 3-0 squads.

Class 3A: Excel (2-0) is unranked but has received a first-place vote in the state rankings. The Panthers will certainly pick up more support if they can knock off visiting No. 6 Mobile Christian (3-0) tonight.

Class 2A: No. 5 Ariton (2-1) hosts No. 3. G.W. Long (2-0) tonight.

Class 1A: No. 1. Brantley (3-0) hosts No. 3. Elba (3-0) on Friday.

AISA: No. 5. Lee-Scott (2-0) visits Morgan Academy (1-1).