Is it too early to discuss this? Can we forget about Meyer now that he has capitulated? Can we start a topic about the big game in Pasadena before Kiffin decides to make his expected grab for some spotlight? Hey....one thing I like is Saban talking with the press......he is soooooo no nonsense and perfunctory in his descriptions. My first take on this game is that Texas will give the Bama offense many more problems than some experts have pegged for the game. I think Texas can play some pretty good defense and I think Bama can be defensed. This matchup is therefore the key to the game. The Texas offense was stymied by Neb. but not by many others. I see a very closely fought 20-17 type game.
MCG, let me say this, the BCS Championship game is a game I would like to see discussed. However if you have to put unrelated comments about Kiffin into the topic then I'll pass. :cry: :cry:
Just a little jab Bill at those who say Meyer is publicity seeking with his health dilemma. No harm intended. In any event I always look forward to the NC game.....I am glad there is one....and this stacks up with a lot of intrigue I think. Should be fun once the teams take center stage.
Bill, Let him talk about Kiffin all he wants. It pleases me to see that Kiffin draws so much of his attention.
From the Texas side of things: 1. I worry about the lack of a running game from the TB's. 2. I read one writer said that Neb will have a harder time with AZ because AZ has 3 or 4 WR's and they distribute the ball. That Neb was able to stiffle Colt McCoy by taking away Jordan Shipley and not really worrying about the other guys. I hope our other guys are ready to step up and make plays if Alabama decides to devote double coverage to Shipley. 3. While I don't think our defense is as good as Alabama, I think that Alabama is a straight forward don't trick you offense. The run the ball and have a conservative passing game. McElroy had a great game against the Gators, we can't let him have that or we will lose. We also have to control their Heisman RB, not shut him out but limit his effectiveness. 4. Count on the Heisman Jinx working again!! :
For the Alabama side of things 1. Contain McCoy. Controlled pressure, much like playing Tebow. 2. Our secondary must step up. While we must contain McCoy, that means he should have more time to throw. Pressure on the Alabama DBs 3. Ingram is very good but Richardson is very good also, so if Ingram is not in the game Richardson is and Texas had better not let up. 4. Ingram is our leading receiver also. 5. Our kick coverage sucks. It can be exploited. 6. Our qb is good but this is his first year as a starter. McCoy has been around the block. Experience like his is invaluable. 7. I look for a low scoring (less than 50 points) game. 8. This should be fun. I love great defense and both of these teams have great defenses. RMFT!!!!
Actually on Kiffin, Tom I have read similar comments on several different web sites. Let's see if he slides into the offseason without a peep.....I don't think he does.
actually Wyoming's defense was doing a number of Texas but what killed them is that they had an offense that just couldn't stand up to Texas' defense and thus spent the whole game on the field. The Horns pulled away in the 2nd half, but the Pokes had a good effort against them
The "X" factor in this game could possibly go to the the team that has shown up thinking it has been wronged....disrespected......has something to prove...etc....etc.... Texas certainly fits that description as the motivation still persists I am sure from getting jobbed out of the title game last year. They have made it back to just where they thought they should be last year only to see OU take it from them. Alabama had a whole lot of extra motivation for the SECCG because they saw Fla take #1 from them last season and go on to win it all. The 2009 Tide wasn't about to let that happen again in Atlanta this year and it showed on the field. So......which team has more of the "X" factor in Pasadena?
I think this has the makings of a very good game. Texas has to feel like they are not getting the respect they should get. Alabama has had times this year when they were vulnerable, and Texas looked vulnerable in their championship game, needing a field goal at the buzzer to win. Both teams have looked dominant many times. What I am hoping is that both dominant teams show up and we have a good game. Of course I am also hoping for the SEC to win again, sorry Terry.
Bill, It seems like most years the BCS Bowl game teams that are feeling that disrespect usually show up and lay waste to their supposedly cocky, superior opponents. Think back to W Va over Ga, Utah over Bama, W Va over OU, BSU over OU and Fla over OSU just to name a few. It will be interesting to see how this plays ouit in the media. If I were Mack Brown boy would I be using this angle to fire up the Horns. Saban has quite a task to bring down his squad from the SECCG euphoria.
I honestly like our chances in this game. ... and if I was Texas I would like their chances as well. The thing about great defenses is that it only takes one or two mistakes to let the game get out of hand. I worry about the Alabama kick defense. We have let too many teams get big returns. That's not so bad against a so-so team but it can be catastrohic against a very good team. Texas knows that McCoy is going to turn in at least a good game, McElroy is another story. He probably won't hurt us but he may put all of the pressure on the running game and make us very one dimensional. It looks like both teams are going to be healthy and have everyone available so it just gets down to execution. I sure wish they were playing this weekend.
Good points Kp. Shipley must be a concern for the Bama special teamers but Arenas ain't half bad either on the flip side. Your concern about McElroy highlights my thoughts though about the Bama offense vs. the Texas defense. That is part of the deception of the Fla game with Bama. Last year this same UF defense made Sam Bradford, Jermaine Gresham and Julio Inglesias look average but against McElroy and co. they just didn't make any plays whatsoever. A similar effort last Jan. and OU would have scored 50 points minimum. I don't know why I seem to be the only one that sees this disconnect coming out of the SECCG with respect to how it plays out in the BCS Title game. If you think our defense truly stinks....then that's an opinion I have to respect. If you think the Bama offense and McElroy are the second coming of OU's 60 ppg offense then that's another opinion I have to respect. But I suspect you really don't think either of those things is true so the prospect of going against what seems to be a decent Texas defense should be the biggest concern for Bama going into Pasadena. I don't think McCoy is going to light it up vs. the Bama defense because the strength of Bama is that side of the ball. If Texas gets 20 points it will be a lot.....so the question is what does the Tide do on offense to exceed that 20 points? I agree that a special teams play or two....a big kick return might just decide this game. Is it Shipley....or is it Arenas? P.S. I apologize if this comes off as a "we sucked that's why you won thing" but either our defense played great and Bama is much better than any offense that Fla has seen in the last two years or our defense played crappy and made the Bama offense look a tad better than they actually are. I look forward to getting the answers and truthfully....I don't know for sure. Maybe it's just that Bama found it's offensive rythm that was missing in so many games this season.
I don't know if the Neb-Az game last night really has any bearing on this analysis but beating Nebraska for Texas by any stretch of a last second win seems to be an accomplishment. Nebraska looks poised to re-emerge on the national scene next season. I would say the Huskers made it look hard for Texas in the Big 12 Title game for a reason. The question is did Bama make it look easy vs. Fla for a reason.
MCG, I'm not sure where you got the idea that I think you're defense sucks, but I will try to comment on your points, many of which I agree with. I have also messed up the quote thing here so I apologize I totally agree :!: My problem with this is that what you call "deception" I call a difference in a 3 year starter and 1 year starter. McCoy is a Heisman finalist and one of the best qbs in the country. McElroy is good. Against Florida he completed 66% of his passes, a TD and no interceptions. That isn't too bad. It's not great but not bad. He did the same thing the week before against Auburn. And did you notice that Texas AM scored 39 on the Texas defense. No one scored 39 on Alabama. Just saying! Yeah Alabama only scored 32. I have no idea where that came from. I have no idea where that came from. Going against a great Texas defense is just half of the concern. A very potent offense with one of the best qbs in the country is the other concern. As stated above McCoy is one of the best qbs in the country, as is Tebow, and Snead and Mallet and he may light it up. If he does then we are in trouble, but the Alabama defense is pretty good too. Like I said above, no one came close to scoring 39 on us all year. That may change next week but it does give me some reason to have a glimmer of hope. Here's where I have a problem. It is not all or nothing. Alabama played one of their best games of the year. Run, pass and defense. Florida's offense didn't perform or wasn't allowed to perform it's normal 30+ points magic. I think it was a combination of the Alabama defense playing a great game and Tebow/Meyer not being able find the right adjustments. Our run offense was the difference. Bottom line, I don't think Florida sucks or that they stunk up the SECCG or anything like that. They just got beat. I know that hasn't happened to them much in the last few years but it happened this year. That's all. They are a very good team and I am very happy that Alabama was able to beat them, finish the regular season undefeated and have a chance to play for the NC. [/quote]
Kp.....I have no problem that Bama beat Florida. I just wish I could have seen an OU-FSU-Ga-'08 SECCG type performance from Fla in the game but it was not to be for whatever reason. It was more like Ark 09, Miss 08 etc. and I just don't understand why that was. Sure....Bama was very much "on" in the game and because of that determination and their talent they would have won no matter what. But I and many other Gator fans feel that Bama did not get our best shot.....and that gnaws at us a little as you can tell. It just may help UF in the Sugar Bowl though because the Gators have something to prove whereas last year I don't think you could say Bama left anything in reserve vs. UF in Atlanta and they played like it vs. Utah.
That is true Terry and when you line up the different sides of the debate as I have outlined it makes for some serious unkowns and intrigue with respect to the game's outcome. Most predictions....if not all favor Bama but I'm not sold on that and it makes the game highly interesting. Don't be confused though.....in the end as an SEC fan first and foremost I hope Bama has the higher score.
I'm very confident Alabama had the better team that day in Atlanta. I'm also very confident that they didn't see Florida's best effort/execution on the field. I'm not confident at all about the NCCG vs. Texas because of the above. I don't think the Florida game is the best way to judge Alabama's talent and capability heading into the game with Texas and about 99% of the media shares those same views because of item #2 above. The betting public has been thinking the same thing as the line has moved a whole point at least toward Texas....one line I saw has it down to -3.5. That's a very big movement in the betting line and there are underlying reasons for that.....most of which is the performance of Nebraska and Florida in their respective bowls but for the same reasons shown different ways. Nebraska looks a bit tougher after their big win over Az and it was apparent to almost everyone in sports ( the exception being Skybox members ) that the UF-Bama result was a little misleading as well.