Have we Been a Better Road team Than Home team Under CNS?

STONECOLDSABAN

All-American
Sep 21, 2007
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Just thought i would spark up a little debate but it seems like most of our biggest and most impressive wins/performances(during the regular season) have come away from home in nick saban era. while some of our most frustrating and head scratching losses/poor performances have come at home in recent history. agree or disagree? and if you do agree. why do you think that is???

Im not just talking about wins and losses (cause lets be honest..their hasn't been that many losses lately :biggrin:) but just how the team performed overall. it just seems like they play better in hostile territory to me.
 

Ty Webb

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Feb 3, 2012
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I've thought about this in the past. I think the answer is yes. Our team sometimes looks bored at home.

However, on the road, when the team walks into a hostile environment with 80k+ yelling at them and expecting an upset, it seems the team plays with a little more intensity and focus at times.
 

GrayTide

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Nov 15, 2005
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Throw out 2007 and we have 7 losses under CNS. We lost to USCe and LSU on the road in 2010, and to auburn at home, the other 2 losses were home losses to LSU and TAMU. IMO we are probably a little better on the road against our bigger competitors.
 

Ole Man Dan

Hall of Fame
Apr 21, 2008
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I say yes to being a better road team.
Maybe we are better in a hostile environment.
Maybe it's the distractions at home games of getting tickets for family and friends
trying to get tickets.
 
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BigBama76

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Oct 26, 2011
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Some of our players have admitted that it is easier playing on the road. It brings the team together and is easier to focus.
I've always thought of Alabama as a better road team, even under Coach Bryant. Besides the fact Bryant-Denny only held about 55k when I was there all of our big home games were played at Legion Field with homecoming and a few patsies at Bryant-Denny. I can count the losses to LSU in Baton Rouge on one hand over my lifetime and I'm 58.
 

TideFan in AU

Hall of Fame
2008 - UF in Atl
2008 - Utah in New Orleans
2010 - USCe in Columbia
2010 - LSU in Baton Rouge
2010 - AU at home
2011 - LSU at home
2012 - TAMU at home

Raw numbers says 4 losses on the road and 3 at home. Its hard to say that there is really any tend or pattern. If you take into consideration we play 8 games at home and 5 or 6 on the road every year, it skews it further. 7 losses in 5 seasons is a pretty small sampling and one that I'd be happy to accept for the next 5 seasons.
 

Matt0424

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Jan 16, 2010
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I think our performance is typically better on the road. I think the team feeds off the dislike that the opposing fans have. Plus, it is easier to focus when you are all in a hotel together, not on campus, etc...
 

BigBama76

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Oct 26, 2011
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2008 - UF in Atl
2008 - Utah in New Orleans
2010 - USCe in Columbia
2010 - LSU in Baton Rouge
2010 - AU at home
2011 - LSU at home
2012 - TAMU at home

Raw numbers says 4 losses on the road and 3 at home. Its hard to say that there is really any tend or pattern. If you take into consideration we play 8 games at home and 5 or 6 on the road every year, it skews it further. 7 losses in 5 seasons is a pretty small sampling and one that I'd be happy to accept for the next 5 seasons.
I don't know that I would count the UF and Utah losses since they were neutral site games. I know they were road games as well but just different circumstances.
 

WalkaboutSean

1st Team
Nov 23, 2010
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I think YES, we are better on the road than at home.

In an interview last year, Barrett Jones said he preferred playing on the road, in a hostile environment.
 

selmaborntidefan

TideFans Legend
Mar 31, 2000
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At this point I can hear the whispers of the Tide fans, all of them saying, "You know, I don't always agree, but I can't wait to hear Bill's analysis of this question."

So here goes.

First of all, throw out 2007 - most of those were not even CNS players, which is not a dissing. Note also we were 6-2 when the Textbook Scandal took all those players off the field. So let's look at each year:

2008
Record: 12-2
Home: 7-0 (Big wins: Auburn)
Away: 4-0 (Big wins: Georgia, LSU, Tennessee)
Neutral: 1-2 (Big wins: Clemson, big losses: Florida, Utah)

VERDICT:
Problem analyzing because there weren't really any big games at home. We played mostly soft touches at home, so OF COURSE the big wins would be on the road.

2009
Record: 14-0
Home: 7-0 (Big wins: S Carolina, Tenn, LSU)
Away: 4-0 (Big wins: Ole Miss, Auburn)
Neutral: 3-0 (Va Tech, Florida, Texas

VERDICT:
I think home gets it this year because those three games were in consecutive games (with an off week prior to LSU). The Tennessee game was THE best example of rising to the occasion at home, but the Auburn win was a great example on the road. This particular year we were deadly in neutral site games against ranked teams, winning by scores of 34-24, 32-13, 37-21.

2010
Record: 10-3
Home: 6-1 (Big wins: Penn State, Florida; big losses: Auburn)
Away: 3-2 (Big wins: Arkansas; big losses: S Carolina, LSU)
Neutral: 1-0 (Big win: drilling Michigan State)

VERDICT
What is hard to take into account is the effect of all those consecutive off-weeks other opponents had. South Carolina beat us right after the emotionally charged rout over Florida. LSU beat us after an off week - but we both had an off week. Needless to say, the most painful loss had to be against Auburn. That one was so bad that I'd call this year a wash.

2011
Record: 12-1
Home: 6-1 (Big wins: Arkansas, big losses: LSU)
Away: 5-0 (Big wins: Penn State, Florida)
Neutral: 1-0 (LSU)

VERDICT
OK, the problem evaluating this is that the so-called neutral site game was - in reality - an LSU home game. No, it wasn't at Tiger Stadium, but it was in their state close to their place and they had more than half the tickets. Because of that and the sting of the November loss, I'd give this year to the AWAY games.

2012:
Record: 13-1
Home: 6-1 (Big losses: Texas A/M)
Away: 4-0 (Big wins: LSU)
Neutral: 3-0 (Big wins: Michigan, Georgia, Notre Dame)

VERDICT
The sheer emotional swings of LSU on the road followed by the aTm loss again point this one in the direction of neutral site games, where we drilled two top ten foes and edged a third one.


OVERALL DATA SINCE 2008
Record: 61-7
Home: 32-3, .914
Away: 20-2, .909, but .913 if you count 2012 BCS title game as road
Neutral: 9-2, .818 but with a current eight-game winning streak


VERDICT
I don't think there is any SIGNIFICANT difference. The percentages are basically the same, especially if you count LSU as a road game in the BCS title game.

These are what the data show. My initial thought was in favor of the road. It may be a VERY SLIGHT edge to the road, but it is miniscule.
 

KrAzY3

Hall of Fame
Jan 18, 2006
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Kirby Smart said that it is easier for the defense to play on the road, because the crowd can disrupt their defensive play calling.

I would assume that is enough of a factor to eliminate most of the home field advantage, if not give the team a slight edge on the road.
 

Dallas4Bama

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Sep 27, 2006
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I don't know that I would count the UF and Utah losses since they were neutral site games. I know they were road games as well but just different circumstances.
The game is either in Tuscaloosa or it isn't. If it isn't in Tuscaloosa it's a road game. Anything else is an attempt to manipulate the data.
 

Florida Tom

All-American
Aug 15, 2011
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He loses so Few games it's hard to say. Some of the losses at home seem like they hit the hardest, 2010 ScamBack, 2011 LSwho & bad calls, 2012 Deliverence boy.

I do think they take an attitude on the road. Won't be to many teams doing the stare down like ND.
 

Alasippi

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Aug 31, 2007
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I think we play pretty darn good wherever the game may be played lol.
There's really too many outside factors to call this in my opinion.
For example...we made an incredible come back to beat LSU in Baton Rouge then lost to A@M at home the next week.
Looking at that one might say, "There's your proof".
Truth be told the reason we didn't play well at home was because the LSU road game took so much out of us emotionally and physically.
Had LSU beat us I think we would have come out blazing against the Aggies. Who knows?
It's not just so cut and dried in my opinion, you have to look at all the factors.
sip
 

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