Alabama's opponents averaged 5.92 penalties in all other games while averaging 3.93 penalties against Alabama.I would like to see a breakdown of Bama opponent penalties and see whether the opponent's game against ALabama was a season low for penalties and yards.
I'd bet that for several of Bama's opponents, the Bama game was a season low and for the rest, the Bama game was the 2nd lowest.
I do not believe in a conspiracy, I just think it is human nature. The refs look at Bama, then at the opponents, and decide, even subconsciously, to help the underdog a bit. A little tug on the jersey that would get called if a Bama o-lineman does it, won't get called if the defensive player being held is wearing a crimson jersey. There are a thousand judgment calls each game and a thousand shades of grey.
Team | Penalties Against Alabama | Penalty Yards Against Alabama |
USC (13 games) | T-3 | 4 |
Western Kentucky (14 games) | 1 | 2 |
Ole Miss (12 games) | T-7 | T-9 |
Kent State (12 games) | 1 | 1 |
Kentucky (13 games) | T-1 | 1 |
Arkansas (13 games) | T-6 | T-9 |
Tennessee (13 games) | 1 | 1 |
Texas A&M (13 games) | T-12 | 13 |
LSU (13 games) | 2 | T-1 |
Mississippi State (13 games) | T-4 | 4 |
UT-Chattanooga (12 games) | T-1 | 1 |
Auburn (13 games) | T-4 | 3 |
Florida (13 games) | 7 | 6 |
Washington (14 games) | T-2 | T-1 |
So teams were penalized the least when facing Alabama five times in 2016. Six times opponents saw their least amount of penalty yards on the season.