Growing up, I heard many stories about the great Alabama games of the 70's. I heard about the blocked field goal against Penn State, the hit on Steve Berlein, and the shutting down of Gino Toretta. Since I have been on campus at the University of Alabama, I have been apart of some memorable games myself: Rocky Block, The Wipe out of the Blackout in Athens, Alligator Tears in Atlanta, and Taking Down Texas for the 1st time in school history in the National Title Game. Nick Saban has came to Alabama and won some big games. There is a problem, if you will, with his success. Every game now is expected to be a blowout. Who cares if we went to the Swamp and dismantled Florida? They weren't that good anyway... what does it matter that we have beaten Arkansas and Tennessee five years in a row now? See where this is going?
It takes alot to get this fanbase truly ready for a game. It usually takes playing a game where the universal feel is that we could lose the game. Let me say this: Forget about all of the other games that ever happened in your lifetime and ponder this upcoming game against LSU. Look at the following facts:
1) NEVER have 2 teams, undefeated, ranked 1 and 2 in the country, met in the regular season in the SEC.
2) NEVER, at least in my memory, have to teams walked through a season as easily as these two to reach this point.
3) The main reason this game is going to be so good? Nick Saban. He built both of these programs. Unfortunately, he forgot to kill the step kids when he left his first wife. They are still kickin', and stepdad is pretty good at being the head man of the house.
4) Experts are estimating that around half of the starting 44 between the two teams will be NFL draft picks one day.
This is a game that will be remembered decades from now. It will be the most hyped game in the history of the SEC- even more than 2009's SEC title game. It truly features the two best teams in the country. It also features the two best coaching staffs in the country. EASILY. How big is this game? CBS, in an unprecedented move, pulled a four way swap and sacrificed games selections next year to ESPN/ABC just to get this game on the air in prime time. It will have a Superbowl feel. And it should, because there are players in this game that will be winning Superbowls down the road. Bet on it.
As an Alabama fan, I am rendered speechless while I walk across the quad or drive by the stadium. How could I be so lucky as to be a student here when Alabama rediscovered its golden years? This is statistically and talent wise, and likely coaching wise, the best team Alabama has had since late 1970's. This may be the best LSU team of all-time. The unfortunate aspect of this whole deal is that due to the law of elimination, someone must lose on November 5. To all of my fellow Tide fans out there, let me offer a word of perspective here:
Win or lose, Alabama football will likely never be this good to watch again. Enjoy it. Relish it. Don't whine about a bad half or slow start. If a "bad" half means downing the Vols by 4 and half touchdowns, I'll take it every single year. We will not have a better coach than Nick Saban simply for the fact that one doesn't exist. This alone is the reason I feel we will win the game, because we have a slight coaching edge. If we don't? It'll be disappointing. Life will go on though. Afterall, it is LSU. They are amazingly good this year.
One dynamic of this game that I feel is really worth looking at is the fact that, to date, neither team has had to play four quarters of football. We don't even know the resiliency of these teams in tough situations because they are so good that those situations have not taken place yet. This is yet another reason I feel the game leans to us. When teams are this close, the game usually comes down to three things:
- A player who is above and beyond everyone else on the field (Trent Richardson)
- winning the turnover battle (draw)
- the kicking game (LSU)
As you can see, there still is no decided advantage here. Don't even call home field an advantage, because LSU has never been scared of this place. The clock is the only reason there will be a loser in this game. The BCS is the only reason they won't play again for the National Championship. So sit back and enjoy what will be a clash of the only two teams in college football who are doing it old school- balanced offense, rock solid defense, and mental toughness. For the first three quarters, appreciate what your eyes are beholding...the hits, plays, sacks, all of it....from both sides....then when the fourth quarter rolls around, worry about who will win. This truly will be the game of century.
A prediction? A late game screen pass to Trent Richardson puts the Tide on top for good on a third and 5 play in the fourth quarter.
#1 LSU 20
#2 ALA 24
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