I think Alabama fans tend to overhype mediocre quarterbacks who beat us to the point that they lose sight on what actually beat us. I would say a far bigger issue vs FSU was that their running backs hit 152 yards and 3 of them were averaging 4 yards a carry. It’s like every Alabama fan who hypes up Stephen Garcia… he had an elevated day for him but it really was an average day overall.
Stephen Garcia wasn't even the best QB in that game but nobody ever looks at it.
Garcia - 17 for 20, 201 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
McElroy - 27 for 34, 315 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
In that game, Alabama had:
- more first downs
- more yards
- 150 more passing yards
- the same number of turnovers
- and ran 7 more plays from scrimmage
- a safety against (wait for it) Stephen Garcia on the first play of the second half
What beat us that day was Lattimore and their defense totally shut down our running game.
You know what will stun people?
To learn that after halftime adjustments....
Stephen Garcia: 8 for 10, 106 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 1 safety, 1 sack
And 45 yards of that passing was on one play.
Garcia had SIX OTHER GAMES in 2010 where he passed for more than the 201 yards he passed against us and they were 3-3.
What gave rise to the "Stephen Garcia had a stellar day" was Gary Danielson saying it over and over for a decade and his "to beat Alabama you've gotta have a hot quarterback."