Here's another thing I've learned: any time we lose a game we have a contingent of fans that absolutely refuses to admit we got bested in execution.
My response to this next has nothing to do with Bham being one of those fans (he's not) but with what is said here that needs context of the relationship of luck and execution.
Bama has had more bad luck than good luck. There would have been no need for the good luck of Ok St losing if Bama did not lose to LSU because of bad luck in 2011 - Bama dominated but could not kick a FG. They scored 2 FGs in 6 trips inside the 30. LSU scored 2 FGs in 2 trips, IIRC.
As I do with krazy and the BCS, let's start on the points we can agree and then work our way to agreement. First of all, we have very few games where luck plays any role at all. I will grant that the 2011 LSU regular season game had to have been a nadir for bad luck, but we still failed to execute as well.
But my bigger issue is your reductionist approach to luck as if only Okie State had to lose for us to make it into the title game. You have to remember that not only did Okie State have to lose, so did Oregon, Boise State, and Oklahoma. Furthermore, it got complicated because let's be honest - they didn't 'really' want a rematch but unfortunately for the PTB, Oregon had ALSO played and lost to LSU, and they had not looked nearly as impressive as Alabama did. If Oregon had not lost to LSU and had won their conference, we don't even make the game.
And do we even need to talk about 2012? Sure, we had bad luck on the Manziel fumble TD play, but we also turned it over three times and failed to execute at critical points. What bailed us out? K-State and Oregon losing within minutes of each other. And remember this: if Ohio State had not opted to take a later probation and thus were ineligible in 2012, we would not have even made the game.
Bama would not have needed the Ark miracle last year if not for, ironically, the OM miracle of +5 in TOs (2 on KO returns) and one ~70 yd fluke TD and one ~70 yd illegal TD and yet had to hang on for dear life to win by 6.
FIVE turnovers are not luck. Give Ole Miss credit for making the turnover plays. The prayer triple bounce was ridiculously lucky, but the turnovers weren't.
AU kick 6 after reliable FG kicker (10-12 coming in) couldn't kick one to save his life,
Alabama started a drive at the Auburn 35 with 8:35 left and got no points. Auburn stopped us on a fourth down - that isn't luck, it's great execution by Auburn. Then Marshall hit Coates with the tying TD - that wasn't luck, either.
And for the last time, folks, the Kick Six was NOT luck, it was phenomenal execution by Auburn. The most painful thing about it is that it was a Nick Saban type thinking play that beat Nick Saban.
The Prayer at Jordan Hare was so lucky it was ridiculous. You can't draw up a play like that to save your life. But the Kick Six was thinking and executing on Malzahn's part combined with failure to do both on our part.
also forcing Bama to go for it on 4th late. Still AU needs a miracle (probably illegal) late to tie. Etc.
Help from referees doesn't change the fact we put ourselves in that situation. As JessN noted in his recap, Alabama was probably twice the team Auburn had that year.
Bama's "luck" is becoming a recurring theme propagated by some, including Vince Dooley. They are having trouble digesting Bama's unparalleled sustained success, with no end yet in sight. Not saying that is what you are doing - you've been fair with your praise of Bama.
Well, we've certainly not had the insane Auburn luck (UGA miracle and the Mark Ingram fumble, that I still cannot believe) and there's a certain element of truth to putting one's self in position to benefit from it. Arky beat Ole Miss on an absolute fluke - though I've watched that game since then and Arky should have won anyway - but if we had not won all our other games it wouldn't have mattered to us.
We beat LSU the same night and that wasn't luck.