Speaking at a business luncheon Thursday, Texas governor Greg Abbott predicted the outcome of this September’s game between Texas and Alabama while offering an opinion of potential Tide starting quarterback Jalen Milroe.

The Austin-American Statesman reported Abbott’s comments Friday.

“I have seen what appears to be Alabama’s starting quarterback, and he’s no Bryce Young,” Abbott said, according to The Statesman. “So I’m gonna say it’s gonna be 27-21, Texas Longhorns.”

The third-year quarterback, who will compete with Ty Simpson for the starting job this summer, is coincidentally is a native of Katy, Texas.

Milroe made one start for Alabama last season, against Texas A&M, after Young injured his shoulder a week earlier at Arkansas. Milroe completed 12 of 19 passes for 111 yards, three touchdowns and one interception against the Aggies, while running 17 times for 81 yards. Nick Saban later said Milroe played with “a lot of anxiety” in the game.

The Longhorns and Tide will meet Sept. 9 in Bryant-Denny Stadium, the first trip for Texas to Tuscaloosa since 1902. The game is part of a home-and-home series that began last September in Austin, when Alabama escaped with a 20-19 win after a game-winning field goal drive led by Young.

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“Texas was ahead until, like, the last 15 seconds of the game,” Abbott said. “And Texas would have won it had it not been for what was then the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, Bryce Young, being able to evade a tackle that would have led to a sack that would have prevented Alabama from getting within field goal range to win the game. That’s how close the game was.”

Young, who completed 69 percent of his passes for 213 yards and a touchdown at Texas, is projected to become the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft next month. He was joined by 12 other Alabama players at the NFL combine, including eight defensive starters.

Young could be joined in the first round by former Texas running back Bijan Robinson. The draft’s top running back was limited to 57 yards on 21 carries by Alabama, although the Tide allowed a rushing touchdown as well as 73 yards on Robinson’s three catches.

But Abbott pointed to Texas’ returning quarterback, Quinn Ewers, who went 9-of-12 passing for 134 yards before departing last season’s game against Alabama in the first quarter because of injury. Ewers is expected to compete with freshman Arch Manning for the starting job this fall.

“Texas has more returning starters than Alabama does,” Abbott said. “The quarterback that was literally running all over Alabama, Quinn Ewers, was injured early in the game. And he’ll be starting again, doing a great job. If he gets hurt, he’s got a pretty good backup in Manning.”

Alabama and Texas will begin playing once every two seasons in 2024, when the Longhorns join the SEC.

Mike Rodak is an Alabama beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @mikerodak.