News Article: Arkansas State wrap-up: Businesslike Tide now rises to the top of its profession

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Arkansas State wrap-up: Businesslike Tide now rises to the top of its profession
By Jess Nicholas
TideFans.com Editor-in-Chief
Nov. 1, 2008

The end of the Alabama-Arkansas State game came and went without much fuss Saturday; Alabama had just grinded out a 35-0 domination of the Red Wolves, and most fans were in the process of switching their focus to either LSU, the BCS formula, or both.

Six hours later, Alabama fans and its team have something altogether different on their minds.

When fans of Alabama’s three traditional rivals – Auburn, Tennessee and Notre Dame – wake up Sunday, they will awake not only to the aftermath of their teams’ respective losses, they will awake to find Alabama most likely occupying the No. 1 ranking in college football for the first time since 1993. Then the question becomes whether those fans are awake, or in the middle of their biggest nightmare.

This wasn’t supposed to be Alabama’s year, and it might still not be. Alabama may be favored by the Vegas line against LSU, but a LSU upset would not be the least bit unexpected. LSU wants revenge against its old coach, wants to work out the frustrations of falling out of the national championship picture, and would like nothing better than to end the title dreams of the team most of its fans consider the Tigers’ chief rival.

Then there is Mississippi State, which despite being bereft of an offense, has a tough defense and a coach with his own agenda against his alma mater. Auburn follows, and the specter of six losses in a row looms large, as does the prospect of Tiger head coach Tommy Tuberville possibly coaching for his job. In Atlanta stands the Florida Gators, who are no less tough than Alabama at this point.

But Alabama can’t pick its years to contend. It can only accept its fate and do the best it can at trying to ride this horse for as long as it has legs.

Saturday, against Arkansas State, Alabama had legs on top of legs. Three running backs ran for touchdowns, the Alabama defense never allowed the Red Wolves to even threaten from field goal range, and aside from more iffy special teams play, the Crimson Tide looked to be as complete as it’s been since the high point of the Gene Stallings era.

But given the opponent the Tide faced Saturday, and the distractions that came down in the hours afterwards, few Tide fans right now are focusing on whether Javier Arenas needs to fair-catch punts more often, or whether Leigh Tiffin is prone to hooking kicks from the left hash, or whether the emergence of receiver Darius Hanks and defensive end Milton Talbert in the playing rotation Saturday means anything.

The focus now is squarely on the No. 1 ranking. So far in 2008, it’s been more of a curse than a blessing to the team that holds it.

But Alabama can’t be afraid of success. The coaching staff is just now starting to convince the Tide of not being afraid of failure and to play with confidence; being afraid of success just wouldn’t make much sense.

Alabama still has a tough, tough road to navigate. But with each passing week, it does get easier, if only by small steps.