My Opinion of the Key to the BCS Title Game

Bama-fo-life

1st Team
Jan 16, 2004
797
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Mobile, AL. USA
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To me the key to the game will be how each team will handle the lay off. It is really like the start of a different season. Remember AU? They were shredding defenses but after the layover they were not the same (scored in the teens I think). So the question is who will handle the lay over better? To me its Bama who got there by brute force. ND worked hard but no question things, like that AU season, bounced their way (see triple ot win, Standford call, not facing Barkley). Don't get me wrong ND is a good team but I do think this game may go different as their season. The question is how will they respond?
 

crimsonbleeder

All-American
Dec 1, 2002
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Birmingham, AL
To me the key to the game will be how each team will handle the lay off. It is really like the start of a different season. Remember AU? They were shredding defenses but after the layover they were not the same (scored in the teens I think). So the question is who will handle the lay over better? To me its Bama who got there by brute force. ND worked hard but no question things, like that AU season, bounced their way (see triple ot win, Standford call, not facing Barkley). Don't get me wrong ND is a good team but I do think this game may go different as their season. The question is how will they respond?
I think you're on to something there, but you have to talk about CNS/Alabama's experience with handling the schedule of preparation for a layoff like this before a Big game. Don't know that Kelly's ever had to do it (Recall that he left Cincinnati high and dry and didn't coach them in their only BCS game under his watch), while Saban's done it countless times--4 for the National title alone. I think that sort of experience cannot be overestimated and strongly favors us in that regard.
 

BamaMoon

Hall of Fame
Apr 1, 2004
20,931
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Boone, NC
There was some discussion about this in one of the earlier ND threads about handling the lay off.

ND was playing great and got stronger as the year went on and they were getting all the lucky breaks (as NC teams need).

Some of their posters who have posted here have even admitted to the fact that they think the long lay off will be to their disadvantage.
 

u2bama

BamaNation Citizen
Aug 4, 2001
64
0
0
Gautier, MS, USA
The key to this game is Alabama showing up at the stadium. No disrespect intended to Notre Dame but if Alabama lines up and plays offense and defense the way they have all year then the Crimson Tide wins this game by 17. Notre Dame will hit some plays and they possibly will have a goal line stand but they do not have the the same level of talent and over four quarters Alabama will wear the Irish out.
 

willie52

All-American
Jan 25, 2008
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Arab, AL
I'm not sure what ND's practice schedule is so not sure of the lay offs between practices and the NC. One thing we have going for us is we have been there before and know what lies ahead. It's going to be how they handle the timing routes, routines, and if they don't burn out from the hype as it intensifies. Give CNS 30 plus days, I like our chances.
 

bamafaninOhiO

All-American
May 11, 2010
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Dayton, Ohio
To me the key to the game will be how each team will handle the lay off. It is really like the start of a different season. Remember AU? They were shredding defenses but after the layover they were not the same (scored in the teens I think). So the question is who will handle the lay over better? To me its Bama who got there by brute force. ND worked hard but no question things, like that AU season, bounced their way (see triple ot win, Standford call, not facing Barkley). Don't get me wrong ND is a good team but I do think this game may go different as their season. The question is how will they respond?
Both teams benefit from getting their players rested and healthy. How the teams execute after a long break is a different story. We have the experience in handling the extended break, but Kelley is a good coach and I think will have his team ready, or at least put them in a position to play well. Its really up to the players and how focused they are on their objective.

Should be a great game, and I hope one that goes our way. If we just execute as we did in the SEC championship, we should be just fine.
 

CmdrThor

1st Team
Oct 29, 2008
366
15
37
Marietta, GA
The key to the game is clearly scoring more points than they do.

.... (I hate when the talking heads give their "keys to the game". It's like making a prediction that can't be wrong)
 

Maverick2

BamaNation Citizen
Nov 28, 2012
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Golson gets five more weeks to prepare and get better which he has been doing each week. He will have to make plays for ND to win.

Alabama gets to heal up especially players like Williams and Jones who you will need to be at 100%. Both teams will benefit from this as far as getting all those nicks and bruises healed up but being that those two are two of Alabama's better linemen the layoff helps Alabama more.


I think ND would have been better off playing right away within a couple of weeks. Saban has done this before so he knows better about how to get a team ready with a long lay off and to me THAT is the biggest reason the long lay off is better for Alabama.

As I have posted before the game will come down to the two PRIMARY things that ALWAYS decide FB games

1) War in the trenches 2) Turnovers

Football is very simple, it's a game of executing blocking and tackling and protecting the ball, whoever does it better wins
 

Chukker Veteran

Hall of Fame
Feb 6, 2001
10,594
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At first glance, I read the thread title as saying: My Opinion is the key to the BSC game.

Woops, I need to read a little more carefully. :)

Saban and Bama's recent experience playing in the Title Game, and dealing with the wait before it's played, are very real advantages in my opinion.
 

tidefanbeezer

All-American
Sep 25, 2006
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Atlanta, GA
The lay-off has been a factor in the past. When Ohio State played int eh BCSNCG, they had an additional week off, having finished conference play the week before the SECCG. In each game they came out flat and I think that was a product of being off for too long.

In fairness though, OSU was over matched in both those games anyway.

It will come down to our ability to pressure the QB & contain his runs and run the football effectively. If we can do those things, everything else will be gravy.
 

RollinTider1335

All-SEC
Jun 12, 2010
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Spring Hill, TN
The lay-off has been a factor in the past. When Ohio State played int eh BCSNCG, they had an additional week off, having finished conference play the week before the SECCG. In each game they came out flat and I think that was a product of being off for too long.

In fairness though, OSU was over matched in both those games anyway.

It will come down to our ability to pressure the QB & contain his runs and run the football effectively. If we can do those things, everything else will be gravy.
I don't think an extra week over a 5-6 week layoff would make a difference. It was just fodder in the excuses for t?OSU losing.

I think the basis for winning this game is no different than winning in the SEC. It all starts in the trenches. If bJones and jwilliams gets healthy, then it will be a looong day for the Irish. We need everyone on our D and O line to be healthy for us to control the game tempo and flow.

RTR
 
To me the key to the game will be how each team will handle the lay off. It is really like the start of a different season. Remember AU? They were shredding defenses but after the layover they were not the same (scored in the teens I think). So the question is who will handle the lay over better? To me its Bama who got there by brute force. ND worked hard but no question things, like that AU season, bounced their way (see triple ot win, Standford call, not facing Barkley). Don't get me wrong ND is a good team but I do think this game may go different as their season. The question is how will they respond?
I think it has benefitted Bama in the past and then not. 2008 it appeared we were off a bit on defense, but got stronger as the game wore on, still lost. Was it the lay off or hearing things from the press and then the Andre Smith debacle? 2009 we learned from it and won it all, though in the 2nd half tried to give it away. 2010 boy did we figure it out, and then 2011, we see how that ended up LSU sure didn't. This year with this team over the past month going through what they've gone through I'm sure they'll be ready. Nothing like hitting that reset button.
 

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
20,852
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Tuscaloosa
Under Saban in neutral-field season openers and bowl games, Alabama has typically played very well out of the gate. The 2008 Utah game being really the only exception. Overall, Alabama is 7-1 in such games. In the 7 wins, no team has finished within 10 points of Alabama since the 2007 Independence Bowl.

If we can keep that kind of momentum going that we've had in those "kickoff bowls" and actual bowls, then I feel pretty good about our chances.
 

RollTide1224

All-American
Feb 18, 2008
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Spartanburg, SC
Under Saban in neutral-field season openers and bowl games, Alabama has typically played very well out of the gate. The 2008 Utah game being really the only exception. Overall, Alabama is 7-1 in such games. In the 7 wins, no team has finished within 10 points of Alabama since the 2007 Independence Bowl.

If we can keep that kind of momentum going that we've had in those "kickoff bowls" and actual bowls, then I feel pretty good about our chances.
I think some people forget that against Utah Mike Johnson moved from guard to tackle to replace Andre, then went down with an ankle injury in the first quarter I believe. That then had us down the entire left side of our offensive line. Not a very ideal situation going against Kruger who leads the Ravens in sacks this year...
 
I think some people forget that against Utah Mike Johnson moved from guard to tackle to replace Andre, then went down with an ankle injury in the first quarter I believe. That then had us down the entire left side of our offensive line. Not a very ideal situation going against Kruger who leads the Ravens in sacks this year...
Combine that with, WE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO BE THERE!
 

Bad Pony

All-American
Nov 14, 1999
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Bama is 49-0 since the start of the 2008 season when rushing for 150 yards or more. I like our chances...
 

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