Now that I've had a few days to digest the most recent loss for the Crimson Tide and I've cooled down a bit, I've decided to write a column that will hopefully be filled less with disgust and more with non-biased commentary, if I am indeed capable of such a feat.
So, big bad Alabama finally fell this past weekend to the then No. 15 Texas A&M Aggies. The Aggies came out strong, and had a 20-0 lead over the Tide by the close of the first quarter. I'm sure there were more than a few Crimson faithful who were covering their eyes at that point, but Alabama managed to make a game out of it in the end when they responded with 17 unasnwered points.
Of course we all know how the game ended. The Aggies pulled of the 29-24 upset of the No.1 team in the country and fixed permanent smiles across the faces of Oregon Duck fans everywhere.
The issue I find so hard to swallow is not that the Tide lost, but it's how they lost.
With about a minute left in the game, Alabama threatened to regain the lead after AJ McCarron hit Kenny Bell with a deep pass and set up first and goal from the six yard line. From then on, I was probably as confused as anybody.
Over the course of the next four plays, the Tide ran the ball only once. Even after McCarron scrambled to the two yard line on 2nd down, the Tide still deferred to the passing game. Call me crazy, but a team like Alabama, a team that prides itself on the power of its run game, abandoning the very asset that brought it to the dance just didn't sit well with me. Are you telling me that Eddie Lacy couldn't take advantage of that offensive line and pound his way for two yards into the endzone? Two yards!
Most people are saying it was over when the Tide took an off sides penalty shortly after giving the ball back to A&M, but in all honesty, in was over the second Alabama refused to run the ball. They were conceding that they could not fight for two yards on the ground against the Aggies.
In the aftermath, the SEC saw its BCS title hopes fade away. There will be no seventh straight for the most dominant conference in BCS history.
Sure, the possibility does still exist, but two of the top three teams need to lose and I don't forsee that happening. It's not because they're that good. Heavens no. It's because they don't play anyone, and for the most part, haven't all year.
Kansas State's best chance of a loss comes with a matchup against the Texas Longhorns. The probability of that upset happening are a long shot at best. Texas just doesn't have the experience.
Oregon will continue to roll through the Pac-12 unimpeded, and even with the obstacle of a conference title game looming, the Ducks will continue to put up ridiculous numbers. Razzle + Dazzle, no substance.
Notre Dame has by far the best chance of losing one of their remaining games, when they travel to the Coliseum to face the USC Trojans. Who'd have thought SEC faithful would be rooting for a Lane Kiffin coached team to pull of an upset so late in the season?
Still, even if Notre Dame falls to the Trojans, the SEC would still need one of the other aformentioned programs to faulter, and I just don't see it happening.
What does this all add up to? Well for me, it adds up to one hell of boring title game, as Oregon will steamroll Kansas St., and win their first BCS championship by at least 40 points.
Thank you Texas A&M. You played your heart out and that's all that can be expected in this great conference. Kudos to you. But know this, you are now a marked team, and Johnny Football has the bullseye squarely drawn across his back.
Unless your being coached by Les Miles, teams don't fair so well against Nick Saban the second time around.
Until next time, Roll Tide.
No comments:
Post a Comment