In five days, Alabama and Auburn will kickoff their college football seasons and neither the Crimson Tide or the Tigers are taking it easy in week one.

Top ranked Alabama will play No. 18 USC in Arlington, Texas and Auburn will host No. 2 Clemson at Jordan Hare Stadium. It figures to be a memorable opening weekend, regardless of the final results.

The Selma Quarterback Club’s first two speakers of the year made sure to get members of the club up to speed on both teams Monday at Julius Talton’s house on the Alabama River, the traditional site of the first meeting.

Mark Murphy, the editor of “Inside the Auburn Tigers” and Kirk McNair, the owner and editor of “Bama Magazine,” were Monday’s guest speakers.

“This is probably one of the tougher tests they could have opening night,” Murphy said of Auburn.

“I think it’s going to be a pretty good game. We’ll see if Auburn can hold up its end of the bargain.”

Murphy said last year’s team, which was picked to contend for the SEC Championship, and then limped to a 6-6 finish, never hit on all cylinders.

In the offseason, he said Auburn’s spring training was one of the best the team has had in a while and that the offseason practices have also been going well.

However, he admits it’s hard to know what to expect until the season starts.

McNair started by talking about the success of the Nick Saban era at Alabama. The Crimson Tide have won four national championships and are ranked No. 1 in both polls to begin this season, despite losing Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry and quarterback Jake Coker.

“I have a stock answer whenever someone asks me about Alabama,” McNair said. “I always think Alabama is going to win, and I’m almost always right.”

On Tuesday, Saban clarified the quarterback situation by saying its down to junior Cooper Bateman and redshirt freshman Blake Barnett. It was the first time Saban had provided any real clarity on the front runners.

Before Tuesday, there had been some speculation that freshman Jalen Hurts might still be in the running as well.

“That makes sense to me,” McNair said. “I think Jalen Hurts is going to be a terrific player but you aren’t going to take a true freshman away from their home stadium against a team like Southern Cal.”

The club meets again Sept. 12 at the Selma Convention Center. Former Troy football coach Larry Blakeney will be the guest speaker.