My Opinion of the Key to the BCS Title Game

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
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Tuscaloosa
Depth is the biggest issue. If you think ND has the numbers to rotate fresh talent you'd be mistaken. Avoiding silly turnovers is the key and avoiding the 3 and outs.
They definitely don't have the depth in size Alabama does on defense. Their top-line guys look about like our own defenders, but their second-line DL is probably about 20lbs lighter per position. They probably use those guys mostly on passing downs but this is unlike Alabama which can go two-deep with traditional odd front personnel then has a group of rabbit rushers. If Alabama can hold up their end of the bargain on defense, I think the offense could wear them down a bit.

If we don't give them the game (something I'm less confident than in the past), they don't win...
I'd love to see a 2009 SECCG type game where we play flawless in all three phases, but this year's team seems prone to some mistakes out there. If they were saving their A+ game for a good moment, this game would be a good one for it though.
 

Tide Pride La.

Scout Team
Aug 3, 2004
103
1
37
57
Denham Springs, La.
In my opinion the key is how will ND respond when we take the opening kickoff
and run it right down their throats for a score and then line up and do it again
Can they honestly handle our run game, I don't think so but we will see.
RTR
 

bamacon

Hall of Fame
Apr 11, 2008
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I am confident that we will FORCE them to prove that they can stop the run. Nothing fancy just smashmouth. The only game that Bama abondoned the run was in the A&M game where they had 31 attempts. I do think Bama is going to test the ND secondary though because I'm not convinced at all that they are up to a vertical attack. It will be set up with the run though but Coop will go deep.
 

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
20,852
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Tuscaloosa
What we did to UGA on the ground is a positive because ND's front is very similar. I think ND plays with better technique and discipline, but we should be able to get some good blocks on them. If there is anything our OL should know how to call the assignments against it would be an odd front defense.
 

TIDE24

1st Team
Jan 12, 2000
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I have been saying since the LSU game, the "back" injury AJ sustained in the MSU game is more serious than has been reported. He has not been the same since. Better defenses, maybe, but he has not looked as sharp. As we do at the end of every season we will hear a long list of players who require surgery and/or were playing with a more serious injuries than we were aware of. I believe AJ will be among them (again). I hope this time off will allow him to get in early season form (or last yrs BSC game) if that is the case we should be good.

I believe AJ is a very good QB, maybe one of the best in college football, but, although he played well, he was not at his best against LSU, A&M, and UGA. Either he has been injured or he isn't as good as I think he is (as good as he played in last year's BSC game)
 

rammerjammer69

Scout Team
Apr 28, 2009
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0
I think it will come down down to special teams, turnovers and defense. We spotted uga 10-14 pts off special teams mistakes. Imagine if Cyrus hadn't recovered his fumble on that kickoff? That could have been it for us. Special teams gaffes and turnovers were the only reason the game was close. We outplayed uga on the LOS and the team showed great character fighting back, but if we make similar mistakes against ND, it's going to be tough to win. We do not want to have to overcome multiple mistakes and have this game come down to the last drive. If it comes down to questionable call, it almost certainly will go to the domers.

I like our chances if we can just play even on special teams with no long KO or punt returns, no blocked kicks, fumbles, etc. Our D should be fresh and well prepared and if our OL can show up like the 3rd qtr of the SECCG, we should be fine.
 

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
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Tuscaloosa
I think it will come down down to special teams, turnovers and defense. We spotted uga 10-14 pts off special teams mistakes. Imagine if Cyrus hadn't recovered his fumble on that kickoff? That could have been it for us. Special teams gaffes and turnovers were the only reason the game was close. We outplayed uga on the LOS and the team showed great character fighting back, but if we make similar mistakes against ND, it's going to be tough to win. We do not want to have to overcome multiple mistakes and have this game come down to the last drive. If it comes down to questionable call, it almost certainly will go to the domers.

I like our chances if we can just play even on special teams with no long KO or punt returns, no blocked kicks, fumbles, etc. Our D should be fresh and well prepared and if our OL can show up like the 3rd qtr of the SECCG, we should be fine.
Yeah, they got 7 directly off a special teams play to block a field goal. Georgia got another 7 a few plays after executing a fake punt. We had a poor clock management situation on a fake punt that probably cost us a scoring opportunity (3 to 7 points). In the end, UGA ended up being around +17 to 21 indirectly or directly off special teams plays. One of the offensive TD we gave up was when Williams went off the field (Square trying to play nose) and they just ran up the gut 2 or 3 times to score. Special teams, a bad call on that "tipped pass", and injuries making us thin at NT for a moment were really why they were in that game.

It is a testament to how good our team can play when special teams was such a liability and Mark Richt can apparently shove his arm up Tom Ritter's rectum and play him like a puppet on that overrule of DPI (which was huge because it basically allowed that block scoop-n-score). If the defense could have just executed the "protect the sidelines" defense correctly with a minute left, I think we would have been more prone to call it a good day at the office for the unit.
 

Bad Pony

All-American
Nov 14, 1999
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I still say everyone is overthinking this :) ..... 49-0 when rushing for at least 150 yards....if we run the ball like we are capable of we win. We almost lost that streak with special team snafu's (along with the phantom tipped ball call) in the SECCG but still prevailed. We dictate the running game and I like our chances every time. RTR
 

RollTide1224

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Feb 18, 2008
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Yeah, they got 7 directly off a special teams play to block a field goal. Georgia got another 7 a few plays after executing a fake punt. We had a poor clock management situation on a fake punt that probably cost us a scoring opportunity (3 to 7 points). In the end, UGA ended up being around +17 to 21 indirectly or directly off special teams plays. One of the offensive TD we gave up was when Williams went off the field (Square trying to play nose) and they just ran up the gut 2 or 3 times to score. Special teams, a bad call on that "tipped pass", and injuries making us thin at NT for a moment were really why they were in that game.

It is a testament to how good our team can play when special teams was such a liability and Mark Richt can apparently shove his arm up Tom Ritter's rectum and play him like a puppet on that overrule of DPI (which was huge because it basically allowed that block scoop-n-score). If the defense could have just executed the "protect the sidelines" defense correctly with a minute left, I think we would have been more prone to call it a good day at the office for the unit.
Great post. That's why me and plenty of other bama fans think it we play our best we can beat notre dame by double digits. We've had those kinds of things in all three of our big games. If we don't have turnovers in those games they would've been double digit wins.
Just gotta hope we can hold onto the ball.
 

RollinTider1335

All-SEC
Jun 12, 2010
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he did run well, but our offensive line truly dominated georgia in that game...

if they come out and play like that again, we'll have success running the ball with eddie and TJ, no doubt about it...
I agree. I said a little earlier that this will be won in the trenches. That is SEC big boy football. And if Eddie runs like he did......then it will be fun because AJ will help by picking them apart also.

I cant wait.
 

CRMSNtide

1st Team
Jul 4, 2011
345
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It's not really a matter of having confidence. I have confidence in what we can do but I also base my outlook in reality. Reality is that Notre Dame hasn't let many teams run away from them and the few times they've had deficits they overcame it. I think the perception of a substantial talent delta between Alabama and Notre Dame is overblown. We're more talented but they are certainly not untalented. They make up for any lack of talent with a lot of experience on defense and the offensive line.

Furthermore, the best way to keep ND from seizing momentum is by avoiding turnovers and Alabama hasn't exactly been the model of ball security against our best opponents. I would rather err on the side of cautious optimism than over-the-top zeal. They've got the basic SEC recipe down for winning these one-game season scenarios. This isn't Oklahoma or Oregon who are soft in regards to power running. This isn't Ohio State who had a very predictable offensive strategy that an SEC defense can tee off on. Love em or hate em, Notre Dame is the first major power outside the SEC to actually commit to playing the game of football the right way: multiples on offense, multiples on defense, ultimately they win by the simple axiom of "run, stop run."

If we were rolling into Miami with last year's defense, I think we see a game like against LSU in the last BCSCG. ND is completely offensively inept and the offense chips away the resolve of a great defense. This defense isn't near as dominant. I don't care what the statistics say. This is going to be a dogfight and win or lose we are not likely to think ND was out-classed in the end.
ND was in a dog fight against Pitt, that would like us squeaking by Ole Miss with them missing a chip shot FG.

I understand respecting the opponent, but Bama is clearly the better team, and we don't have to apologize for that.
 

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
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Tuscaloosa
Yeah, I mean I agree with the basic idea that Alabama is the more talented team: a good bit more explosive offensively, not as good defensively as a year ago but still within the same area code of Notre Dame's this year. On paper, Alabama would be winning by that -10 Vegas line. My only point is that there are a lot of things that Notre Dame does well which are a recipe for a tough, tough game.
 

JustNeedMe81

Hall of Fame
Sep 30, 2011
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I wonder if Chris Black will actually get a chance to play in championship.... I think they would probably come up with new plays we haven't seen before..... Maybe they'll go back to I formation?
 

UA All the Way

All-SEC
Dec 22, 2005
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I still say everyone is overthinking this :) ..... 49-0 when rushing for at least 150 yards....if we run the ball like we are capable of we win. We almost lost that streak with special team snafu's (along with the phantom tipped ball call) in the SECCG but still prevailed. We dictate the running game and I like our chances every time. RTR
I am not sure this logic holds up. Perhaps we are able to run 150 yards in games which we put away opponents in the 1st half? Does the win follow the 150 yards or does the 150 yards follow the win?

Either way I agree with you that our running game will be of utmost importance. I'm optimistic given the way Lacy has looked at the end of this season.

It will be more of a slug fest than people want to think. This isn't a typical ND team which plays in a bowl 3 levels above where they should because the media puts them there. They will be very physical and emotionally pumped up. That being said Bama is still stronger (especially in the trenches). Plus any team which Coach Saban has a month to plan against is in deep trouble. IMO the best games Bama plays are the opening games.
 

Ty Webb

Suspended
Feb 3, 2012
560
0
0
I am not sure this logic holds up. Perhaps we are able to run 150 yards in games which we put away opponents in the 1st half? Does the win follow the 150 yards or does the 150 yards follow the win?

Either way I agree with you that our running game will be of utmost importance. I'm optimistic given the way Lacy has looked at the end of this season.

It will be more of a slug fest than people want to think. This isn't a typical ND team which plays in a bowl 3 levels above where they should because the media puts them there. They will be very physical and emotionally pumped up. That being said Bama is still stronger (especially in the trenches). Plus any team which Coach Saban has a month to plan against is in deep trouble. IMO the best games Bama plays are the opening games.
And, more recently, bowl games.

We've been almost unbeatable in both. Our last two bowl games were absolute clinics against teams as good or better than ND.
 

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
20,852
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Tuscaloosa
Yeah, I've noticed the trend that we usually play the best off a "layoff" whether it is to open the season in one of those big games or in a bowl. We're usually the most healthy at that moment and the staff has had ample time to research the opponent. We look fresh and well-prepared in these settings.
 

bamacon

Hall of Fame
Apr 11, 2008
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On Paper this will be about like the Michigan game. Mich. held ND to 92 yards rushing and gained 161. That same D was shredded for over 200 yds rushing in about 3 quarters against Bama. The thing is neither team is the same now and the game ain't played on paper. If both teams play to their potential Bama will win going away. I hope that is the case.
 

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