Given our upcoming opponent, a fair bit of talk has been made about whether Alabama "cared" about facing the Sooners in the Sugar Bowl. Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps they cared enough once the game rolled around but not enough during prep and practice time. Who knows? (Actually, the players do and some did speak to that point.)
Anyway, this post is not addressing that nor arguing one way or the other.
However, it is interesting to look at Alabama's record since the beginning of the 2008 season in games that matter, i.e., games played when Alabama still had a legitimate chance to end up playing for the National Championship by winning the rest of their games.
Overall: 135 - 11 (92.5%)
Versus AP Top 5 Teams: 16 - 5 (76.2%)
Versus AP Top 25 Teams: 56 - 11 (83.6%)
Versus Out-of-Conference Power 5 Teams: 17 - 2 (89.5%)
And here are the losses in each season that ended that season's run of games that matter:
2008: Florida - SECCG (Eventual National Champion)
2009: No one - Alabama is National Champion
2010: LSU
2011: No one - Alabama is National Champion
2012: No one - Alabama is National Champion
2013: Barn (Played for NC and lost)
2014: Ohio State (Eventual National Champion)
2015: No one - Alabama is National Champion
2016: Clemson CFPCG (Eventual National Champion)
2017: No one - Alabama is National Champion
In case you're wondering, Alabama has played in a total of six games since the start of the 2008 season where it was unable to control its own destiny, i.e., win out and play for / win the National Championship, and four of those came in the 2010 season. Alabama has a record of 3-3 in those games.
Anyway, this post is not addressing that nor arguing one way or the other.
However, it is interesting to look at Alabama's record since the beginning of the 2008 season in games that matter, i.e., games played when Alabama still had a legitimate chance to end up playing for the National Championship by winning the rest of their games.
Overall: 135 - 11 (92.5%)
Versus AP Top 5 Teams: 16 - 5 (76.2%)
Versus AP Top 25 Teams: 56 - 11 (83.6%)
Versus Out-of-Conference Power 5 Teams: 17 - 2 (89.5%)
And here are the losses in each season that ended that season's run of games that matter:
2008: Florida - SECCG (Eventual National Champion)
2009: No one - Alabama is National Champion
2010: LSU
2011: No one - Alabama is National Champion
2012: No one - Alabama is National Champion
2013: Barn (Played for NC and lost)
2014: Ohio State (Eventual National Champion)
2015: No one - Alabama is National Champion
2016: Clemson CFPCG (Eventual National Champion)
2017: No one - Alabama is National Champion
In case you're wondering, Alabama has played in a total of six games since the start of the 2008 season where it was unable to control its own destiny, i.e., win out and play for / win the National Championship, and four of those came in the 2010 season. Alabama has a record of 3-3 in those games.
