Objective Comparison of the Schedules and Stats of ND, Alabama, UGA Nick Saban gave up throwing against Georgia today, because he couldn't defend his passer from the pass rush and because he believed that he could run the ball. Watch for the matchup between Bama center Barrett Jones who is the best center in the nation and Irish nose guard Louis Nix, who's the #2 nose guard in the nation. The clash between the Bama Oline and the Irish front seven should be a classic... Alabama's opponents record 70-72 (if you take out the FCS opponent then 69-62) Digging a little more the record of the opponents Alabama defeated 59-62 (FCS game not included) Georgia's opponents record (FCS game not included) 63-68 Breaking it down more the record of the opponents Georgia defeated 53-68 ND's opponents record both played and beaten 82-60 Alabama is 2-1 against teams currently in the top 25 Georgia is 1-1 against teams currently in the top 25 ND is 3-0 against teams currently in the top 25 Alabama is 5-1 against bowl eligible teams Georgia is 4-1 against bowl eligible teams ND is 9-0 against bowl eligible teams Alabama played 4 games away from home. Opponents record 22-24 UGA played 5 games away from home. Opponents record 31-29 ND played 6 games away from home. Opponents record 40-32 Alabama points scored 468, points allowed 111 Georgia points scored 456, points allowed 212 ND points scored 321, points allowed 124 Alabama is 2-1 against teams in the Top 50 in Scoring Defense Georgia is 2-1 against teams in the Top 50 in Scoring Defense ND is 3-0 against teams in the Top 50 in Scoring Defense Alabama is 2-1 against teams in the Top 50 in Scoring Offense Georgia is 3-1 against teams in the Top 50 in Scoring Offense ND is 3-0 against teams in the Top 50 in Scoring Offense Scoring Defense- Alabama #1, ND #2, Georgia #16 Total Defense- Alabama #1, ND #6, Georgia #22 Sacks By Defense- ND #19, Alabama #26, Georgia #60 Sacks Allowed- ND #28, Alabama #51, Georgia #56 Scoring Offense- Alabama #15, Georgia #17, ND #75 Total Offense- Georgia #24, Alabama #43, ND #48 3rd Down Conversion %- Alabama #18, ND #20, Georgia #27 Time of Possession- ND #11, Alabama #29, Georgia #91 Fewest Yards Penalized Per Game- Alabama #8, ND #32, Georgia #61
Florida is 8-1 vs bowl eligible teams and 4-1 vs. the current BCS top 13. That said ND drew the tougher card in Alabama vs. Ga because Nick Saban has proven time and time again that he knows how to prepare his teams for the national title games.
Florida isn't in this game MCG so let it go. Saban may have given up the pass for the run, and who wouldn't if you could rush for 350 yards, but the game winning score was a 45 yard pass. I am looking forward to this game. I didn't think Georgia would do as well as they did so maybe there are some chinks in the Saban armor. I understand he has a chance to do something the Bear didn't do, beat Notre Dame.
After what I saw yesterday yesterday, I like the Irish chances very much. Bama needed 350 yards rushing to eake out a win. They won't gain half of that on ND.
I expect the Irish to be big underdogs in Vegas, and much of the media will try hard to be fair since they want Irish fans to hit their webpages and try not to make this too much of a foregone conclusion that Bama will wipe the stadium with us since they all want Irish fans and others to watch on TV. But they will believe just that, Irish will in the non-ND fans hearts be a less interesting and qualified team than some of those Boise State teams that were undefeated. SEC fans are already saying that yesterdays game was the real Nat'l Championship and that Fla deserves to be in the game much more than ND.
Terry I read somewhere that the starting line was Bama 7 - 8 points favorite. But as I recall the Ohio State was at least that much against Ohio State, Miami was at least that much when they beat Nebraska in the 80's and the Gators were at least that much against Ohio State. George I think that you are reading to much into that Stat with the Bama rushing yardage. I don't think Bama gets that much either and it will be a different kind of game. One interesting stat from the game yesterday was that under Saban Bama was 48-0 when rushing for 15 yards or more in a game, that's now 49 - 0. I also think we can pick out individual games of both teams to say they aren't that good, Bama with Texas A & M and Georgia and then there's Notre Dame with Pitt and Purdue. We might examine common opponents whatever. Bottom line is who has the hot hand and the most desire on the day the game is played.
ATTENTION SKYBOX ND FANS. When you feel the need to answer "SEC fans" whom you believe are competely disregarding your team, remember that those of us here do not necessarily fall into that category... please keep that distinction in mind when you post. If you must go off on a rant, please do so on a Notre Dame site where it will be welcome. (I do allow that there is one here who may require rebuttals, but the rest of us are fairly rational)
Scott, certainly you can appreciate that ND fans are passionate and prone on occasion to "go off on a rant." You need to learn to not take it personally. As they say (paraphrased), Don't judge us until you've walked a mile in our shoes. As a TX A&M fan, I don't believe you've ever experienced public derision and piling on from all corners of the football world, the media included. I don't need to tell you that ND is a lightning rod program. "Nuff said. If a few of our fans here show a "us vs. the world" mentality, it is well-founded. We are not blind. We know who is rational and who isn't. If some of us talk in blunt generalities about our feelings on the SEC or the championship game or any other subject, we are not directing our comments to individuals, with one glaring exception, of course. As for moi, I don't intend to say anything to stoke the fire more than it already is being stoked. I understand your newfound conference loyalty, but if you think we are going away because you asked us to, it's not going to happen. Try practicing tolerance. Better yet, police your own. You know who I'm talking about. Follow Tom's and Bill's examples. They consistently stand up to the renegade among your conference brethren. P.S. Some earlier comments in another topic directed to Bill by a couple of my ND friends were unwarranted IF taken personally, but I believe they were misinterpreted and not intended to be personally directed. Bill is by far one of the true gentlemen here and deserves everyone's respect. We ALL need to be careful about how our comments are interpreted, myself included.
Ah for the good old Prodigy days when my favorite sport was watching the SEC guys chew each other up.
Sid, 8) <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gpztPyZ5TH0?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0"></iframe>
Sid, I was simply trying to head off any troubles that can result from fans painting with too broad of a brush. Always remember: most of us down here aren't just gun owners, we have entire arsenals... and we know how to shoot the wings off a gnat. :wink:
Scott, I hope to one day qualify to Texas standards, those of us in the heartland of Florida only average 35 guns per gun safe and I noticed I was shooting 1" low at 100 yards the other day... This means I'm slacking....
Talk about unabashed homerism.....James Franklin of Vanderbilt voted Alabama #1, Georgia #2, Florida #3 and Notre Dame #4. How Coaches Voted
The 1st response in the ND Alabama title thread was by Dave bringing the Gators into the conversation and you're warning the Irish? If you haven't noticed.. my Dad's good natured crowing and Tim's sporadic chest thumping aside. We've been awfully quiet about this, but not fretting. We got the team everyone warned us about. We'll play the cards we're dealt, and maybe a few we have in our sleeve. This should be interesting.
Oh yeah, Franklin... that was disgraceful. When you're on the downside of the honor scale from Lane Kiffin, you're pretty damned low. Still, good football coach.