Alabama wins the BCS national championship and its 14th overall

Wow and not the good awe inspiring way. Bama absolutely took it LSU in defeating them 21-0 leaving little doubt who is the national champion is. 21-0 doesn’t even really do justice to what the Crimson Tide were able to do to the Tigers. LSU didn’t even cross mid field until 8 minutes left in the game and were out gained 384 yards to just 92. LSU only had 5 first downs. The Tigers QB Jordan Jefferson had the deer in the headlights look on his face for most of the game going 11-17 for 53 yards and just never seemed comfortable against the smothering Bama defense. He was sacked four times and threw one ugly interception to the RB who wasn’t even looking when he threw it.

The Crimson Tide offense on the other hand seemed to come into this game with a purpose. Bama learned from the last game and had a much better game plan that featured A.J McCarron throwing the ball a lot more on first down and it led him being named the game’s offensive MVP. He was 23/34 for 234 yards. Trent Richardson had just 58 yards on 20 carries but this game was really all about the relentless Bama defense which shut the Tigers down in every conceivable way. When you have a great offensive line like I have, and great players around you, it makes your job easy as quarterback," McCarron said. "I've got to give all the credit to them. I wish I could have the whole team up here."

So Nick Saban is at the top of the hill yet again becoming the first coach to win 3 BCS National Championships and Alabama collects its 14th title. Everyone watching and in attendance were anticipating a clash of the titans that would make for an epic back and forth battle or as Les Miles said a match of “Big-boy football” but this one was never in doubt after the first whistle was blown.

Congratulations to the Alabama Crimson Tide, your NCAA National Champion of 2011-12.



What they are saying about the game:



New Orleans radio host Bobby Herbert, former NFL QB: “It’s like ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ The clock struck midnight on the Mad Hatter.”



Pat Forde of Yahoo! Sports: Perhaps we should have known Sunday morning, when Nick Saban was both witty and relaxed in his final news conference before he undressed Les Miles.



Gene Wojciechowski of ESPN: To those LSU followers who think they got short-sheeted by the BCS … To those Oklahoma State honks who insist their team belonged here Monday night … To those Associated Press voters who said they would keep LSU atop their ballots even if the Tigers lost to Alabama …To all of them I say, "Are you nuts?"

Steve Greenberg of Sporting News: Worst of all, according to Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw, the game’s defensive MVP, Jefferson was playing scared. “A lot of our guys were coming to the sideline (after stops) and talking about him,” Upshaw said. “Every time he’d go into the huddle, he was looking at us. I think he was pretty rattled.”

SEC Game of the Week: LSU Tigers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide

Ladies and Gentlemen in the Main Event the blog I’ve been waiting to write all year, on my left the home team in the crimson white coming in at 2 in the nation boasting Heisman Trophy candidate Trent Williams and a stout rushing attack coached by Nick ‘ Satan aka Benedict Arnold aka backstabber Saban the ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE. And on my right coming in at 1 from Death Valley led by Jarrett ‘Call him what you want but don’t call him a comeback story” Lee and coached by Les “The Mad Hatter” Miles the LSU FIGHTING TIGERS. Brace yourself college football fans this is the game of the year 1 vs. 2 and its LSU vs. Alabama tickets to this matchup are at $10,500. This game has gotten so big CBS has moved from its original 2:30 pm to PRIMETIME 7 PM These two teams have faced each other over the years from 1993 when top ranked, undefeated, and riding a 31 game winning streak Alabama faced a hapless LSU team. A Mobile (Ala) newspaper writer predicted the LSU would win “WHEN PIGS FLY”, well even though pigs weren’t seen flying over Alabama LSU pulled the stunner with a 17-13 victory. To the 1996 game where I was in attendance watched as Bama blanked LSU 26-0 in the debut of Shaun Alexander “The Great”. To a string of wins Bama had at Tiger Stadium from 1971 to 1999 which LSU was 0-14-1. The rivalry increased since Saban came back to coach college football with the Tide after he couldn’t cut it the pros in 2007. So without further ado let’s get this preview started.

Offense vs. Offense: If LSU offense was a gun it would be an AK- 47 this offense can hit you from so many different places. Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson have been working together to make one of college football’s best dual quarterback tandems in the country while both can pass Jefferson can be used in short yardage and 4th and situatations (which there may be a lot of them) and LSU has not one, not two, not three, but four capable running backs (Spencer Ware, Alfred Blue, Michael Ford, and Kenny Hilliard) and with an improving wr’s in Odell Beckham, Reuben Randall and Russell Shepard, plus it’s also its best defense even though its offense doesn’t score a lot of points it can produce long scoring drives that can make a simple 14-0 game to a 28-0, which can wear out a defense and make an offense on the sideline get cold.. While Bama will counter with QB AJ McCarron’s, RB Trent Richardson, and Marquis Maze this is going to be a test of defensives, but sure McCarron’s has the home field advantage but he has not played in a game of this magnitude, and can he respond to a long LSU scoring drive or keep calm from a pressure playing LSU D- Edge: LSU

Defense vs. Defense: For Alabama they have Courtney Upshaw at linebacker has 4.5 sacks &11.5 tackles for a loss, which ranks 8th in the nation and one of the best cornerback duo’s in the nation with Robert Lester and Dre Kirkpatrick and LSU will counter with its 3rd ranked scoring and total defense they bring back cornerback Tyrann “Da Honey badger” Mathieu and Tharold Simon which will help out Morris Claiborne and defensive ends Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo look to pressure McCarron and clamp down on Richardson. Also LSUs defense has been shutting down young or inexperienced Qbs out of the SEC. Edge: EVEN

Intangibles: The past 6 matchups have been decided by 42 pts or an average of 7 points a game. Well Bama has the home field advantage for Saturday night’s showdown, but surprising all of LSUs key games have been on the road (Dallas, Starkville, Morgantown, and Knoxville) with some being against ranked opponents. LSU has played a much tougher schedule (5 ranked or ranked teams at the time LSU played them) than Bama to date, goes deep, and has played mistake free football (on the field off the field not so much). With the added edge of the Saban bowl and with strong BCS championship implications this look like a game which my need a big play to open the game up or seal it, which if it does it falls into Mathieu making a key strip, pick, or key punt or kick return and a key Les Miles coaching strategy ( hmm I wonder how Bryant-Denney Stadium grass taste). Edge LSU

Winner and why: LSU has gotten better every game offensively and defensively, but the main thing LSU hasn’t made dumb mistakes, hasn’t “given up the big play”, stayed healthy, and remained focused. No team has come close to matching LSUs intensity, but Alabama may be the closest team to come close to it .LSU has to keep playing its game both sides has to be perfect, play hard and keep the pressure on and the Bama fans out of the game. If there is ever a game more important to the LSU football program it’s THIS ONE!!! LSU has to win to eliminate the past that Saban and Bama has haunted them with. To Bama fans this just another game on their way to a 14 national championship all year commentators have been saying LSU is good but,.., this or that, LSU in my eyes has to be the most DISRESPECTED 1 team in the nation, but come Saturday Night the nation will understand how good and talented this LSU squad is and Bama’s national title journey will end, so will Trent Richardson Heisman Trophy hopes.

LSU 38 Bama 27 ( ROLL TIDE ROLL -DOWN THE HOLE DOWN THE BOWL JUST LIKE YOUR TITLE HOPES MR. SABAN AND HEISMAN HOPES MR. RICHARDSON)

College Football Finale 10/02/11

This was a defining weekend for the best teams in the country as Clemson, Alabama, and Wisconsin showed that they are championship material. All three of these teams faced a legit opponent and crushed them into oblivion. Wisconsin got it started as they took it to the outmatched Cornhuskers and beat them by 31 points. It really wasn’t even that close as Nebraska cleaned up with some garbage points at the end. “We’re sexy,” coach Bret Bielema said. Next it was Clemson fending off it old demons against Virginia Tech as they pounded the Hokies 23-3. Coach (Dabo) Swinney calls it the “Shock the World Tour,” start QB Tajh Boyd said. This is the best Clemson team I think I have ever seen. I asked myself during the game was Clemson this year’s Auburn? And last but certainly not least was the beatdown Alabama put on Florida. Bama stumbled out the gates, spotting the Gators an early lead but once Trent Richardson got cranked up, Florida didn’t have a chance. It was an even tougher loss for the Gators with Jeff Brantley going down in the defeat. Florida season may have died in the swamp last night with Brantley’s injury.


Just another fun weekend of football in the NCAA as their were plenty of great games to go around. Texas A&M are doing their best Minnesota Vikings impressions as they squandered yet another second half lead to Arkansas. South Carolina just mystifies me with all the talent they have but yet they can’t put up over 13 points an Auburn team that was allowing points in bunches to every other team it faced. Andrew Luck in Stanford keep winning under the radar as the Cardinal are the best team out west in my opinion. Ohio State is just plain pathetic on offense these days. They couldn’t even muster over 180 yards of total offense. Now with all that has been said lets jump into some game breakdowns.

Wisconsin 48 Nebraska 17 – All the talk going into this was that Russell Wilson and the Badgers haven’t faced competition on the level of what the Huskers were going to bring into Madison, but after this blowout win I think that won’t be a question they have to answer anymore. Wilson was his consistent self as he was 14/20 for 255 yards and 2 TDs. He even added a rushing TD for good measure. Nebraska just couldn’t stop the run against the Badgers as they rushed for 231 yards which setup Wilson for easy play-action strikes. Taylor Martinez was horrible with 3 interceptions on just 22 passing attempts. Martinez did have 61 yards on the ground but that wasn’t nearly enough to threat the Badgers. Wisconsin marches on as they look to be the best team in the Big 10.

Clemson 23 Virginia Tech 3 – The speed and efficiency is of Clemson’s offense is the first thing that usually catches ones eyes in watching the Tigers play but it was their defense in this one that should get a lot of praise. The Tigers handled the Hokies offense to the tune of posting four sacks, forced two turnovers and held Tech’s vaunted rushing attack to just 133 yards. Andre Branch was a man among boys as he had three of the four sacks for Clemson. And to top things off of course was Boyd who didn’t have the prettiest numbers only going 13/32 for 204 yards with a TD and a Int to his credit but he didn’t have to do much in this one. Mike Beallamy’s 31 yard scamper with 6:55 in the fourth sealed the game for the Tigers. This team resembles Auburn of last year to me in many of ways. They have an emerging QB in Tajh Boyd who doesn’t seem to be fazed by the pressure as a sophomore. Andre Branch is dominating defensively the way that Nick Fairley did for the other Tigers and they have an explosive player who take it to the house anytime he touches it in Sammy Watkins, akin to Michael Dyer for Auburn although they play different positions. Just a thought but if they do happen to make it to the BCS National Championship Game, know that you heard it hear first.

Alabama 38 Florida 10 – Florida came out guns a blazing as Jeff Brantley found an open Ashley Debose on the first play of the game for the Gators. It seemed Ol Charlie Weis was opening up his playbook going against the tough Bama defense but that would be really the only thing that worked for the Gators the rest of the way. Florida just couldn’t find any running lanes for their speedsters Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey. They also couldn’t stop the run as Trent Richardson and the Bama offensive line just bullied the Gators into submission. Richardson would go on to finish with 181 yards on 29 attempts. Bama pretty much just wore down the Gators as they controlled both lines of scrimmages. The shift of momentum happened on a Brantley interception that was taken to the house by Bama big man Courtney Upshaw. This game was never in doubt after Brantley was violently taken to the ground by Upshaw and catching his right foot under him as he went down. Brantley was 11/16 for 190 yards and a TD before going down. This was Florida’s worst home loss since losing to another Nick Saban team, the LSU Tigers 36-7 in 2002.

Other Notables and Games:

Texas A&M lets another opponent off the hook: The people in college station must be in a giving mood because this is the second straight week they have let an opponent come back to win in the second half. This time it was future league foe Arkansas in a game that looked all but dead going into the second half. The Aggies had put 35 points on the Razorbacks and looked to keep their foot on the pedal in the second half. But things would get interesting as Tyler Wilson of Arkansas got hot. He began to find open targets and get the ball in the hands of his playmakers. Jarius Wright just had his way as he finished with 13 catches for 281 yards for the Razorbacks and he was the biggest difference in the second half of play. He mad a few spectacular catches and shook off smaller defenders in the process. Mike Sherman and the Aggies biggest mistake was getting away from the run as RB Christine Michael had 230 yards and RB Cyrus Gray had 95 yards on the ground. Just another head scratching performance from the future SEC members and they can all but kiss their BCS aspirations good bye.

What is going on with South Carolina? I just can’t figure this team out. They have some of the best players in the nation and they can only put up 13 points on defensively challenged Auburn? And defensive linemen Melvin Ingram scored the Gamecocks only TD on a Int return. Ingram was downright the man in this game as he finished with 11 tackles 3.5 sacks and an interception. The rest of the team couldn’t get it into gear as the usual reliable Marcus Lattimore had only 66 yards and Stephen Garcia had just a terrible game going 9/23 for 160 yards and two picks. Not what you expect from the favorites to win the SEC East. The offensive has got to get it together if they are to win the East.

Sportaholic College Football Weekend Setup

At last the time has come for another season of college football. I unfortunately didn’t have the opportunity to post an article last week for the season opener and I still can’t get that out of my head. But alas I am now back in the game and have a fresh take of the biggest games of the weekend. Bama and Penn State should be an interesting game among two of college football’s flagship programs. Michigan vs. Notre Dame just conjures up those old school images of football and this will be a slobberknocker in the Big House. Those are two of the better games this weekend we will touch on plus more. So sit back and enjoy as we set your primer for the weekend in college football.

Alabama (1-0) vs. Penn State (1-0) – This will be the 15th meeting between the two football juggernauts and the first time in Happy Valley since 1989. Joe Pa and the Nittany Lions traveled to Tuscaloosa last year and got whipped 24-3. This year shouldn’t be any different as Bama’s vaunted defense is just as good as or even better than last year’s. Led by Dre Kiltpatrick, Mark Barron and Dont’a Hightower, they are loaded on that side of the ball. In last week’s dismantling of Kent State, the Tide held them to a paltry 90 total yards of offense on 70 plays. Penn State has a chance though because Bama is relying on A.J McCarron, who looked good but not great last week. If Rob Bolden and or Matt McGloin can generate enough offense to at least put a bit of fear into the Crimson Tide, then they may be able to make a game out of this one. In the end though, Bama will just be too strong on the ground with Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy and will just wear down Joe Pa’s boys with their defense. The Pick: Bama 28-14

Michigan (1-0) vs. Notre Dame (0-1) – You know the Big House will be rocking in Ann Arbor for this one Saturday. This is the first time in 84 years that the game will be played at night. The Wolverines looked good in Brady Hoke’s new pro-style offense including Denard “Shoelaces” Robinson. I thought he would have a difficult transition from the spread to Hoke’s more disciplined pro style but so far so good. His numbers may not have showed it as he was 9 of 13 for 98 yards passing and added 46 yards on the ground but he looked comfortable in the pocket and didn’t look to run as much as did last year. The Michigan defense is still a work in progress as they let lowly Western Michigan gain almost 300 yards in total offense (279) but they did make some big plays as they forced 3 turnovers. And what can we say about Notre Dame? Once again they were hyped as being championship material this year and low and behold they lose their season opener to South Florida. As I was watching that game I kept saying to myself “Alright Notre Dame lets get for real now.” But they never could compose themselves and take over the game. Coach Brian Kelly subbed the inefficient Danye Crist for Tommy Rees and that seemed to spark the Fighting Irish offense as they finished with 508 total yards of offense. In order for the Irish to win this game they will need to get Michael Floyd the ball early and often. He had 12 catches for 154 yards and 2 touchdowns last game and could be just as effective in this one. I get the feeling that Notre Dame has a lot to prove in this game and will be up to the challenge against the Wolverines. The Pick: Notre Dame 35-30

South Carolina (1-0) vs. Georgia (0-1) – The SEC game of week features the two favorites to win the SEC East. The Bulldogs are facing yet another stiff challenge after losing to Boise State last week. I was very disappointed in Andy Murray and the entire Georgia offense with their dismal performance against the Broncos. I was also disappointed with those ugly red uniforms but that’s another story. With all due respect to Boise State’s defense, I believe the Bulldogs were not prepared for the challenge and intensity of the first game on that side of the ball which says something to the coaching of that team. Mark Richt already is on the hot seat and how warm will that seat get if the “Dawgs” get off to a 0-2 start. The Gamecocks on the other hand did won in extraordinary fashion last year as they spotted East Carolina an early 17 point lead with hand picked Connor Shaw at the helm. It was at this point the “Ol Ball Coach” Steve Spurrier realized that umm yeah that Stephen Garcia is pretty good and put him in. Garcia immediately got to work as he ran for a 32-yard touchdown and the offense took off from that point. Marcus Lattimore is just a beast in every meaning of the word. He tore up the ECU defense for 122 yards on the ground and just controlled the game once he got into his groove. Alshon Jeffrey continues to be the big time wide receiver he is suppose to be with 5 catches for 92 yards. This one will come down to the trenches as Georgia will have to find a way to stop Lattimore. He is the key to the game in my opinion and I just don’t think the Bulldogs will be able to stop him even though they have a good defense. The Pick: South Carolina 23-16

Game of the week – Notre Dame vs. Michigan - For traditions sake, I have to go with the old Midwest rivalry dating back 84 years ago. And this one will be the first time they face off under the lights. Notre Dame can’t start off 0-2 if they plan on going to a BCS game but I get the feeling the Wolverines could care less about any of that.

Most Intriguing game - Mississippi State vs. Auburn - Why is this intriguing you ask? Well lets see, this will be the first test for Miss. State and coach Dan Mullen who some have pegged as a darkhorse in the SEC West. The defending national champs Auburn dropped out the poles with a unsavory victory over lowly Utah State. Auburn has won 17 of 18 SEC openers and nine in a row at home. They have also won 9 of the past 10 against the Bulldogs, so something has to give here in this game.

Under the radar game – BYU vs. Texas - This is just the third meeting between the two and BYU actually has the upper hand 2-0 against the Longhorns. The Longhorns and Garrett Gilbert better come to play because if not, BYU can spring the upset over Texas. Malcolm Brown has to continue to be the foundation of the Texas offense.

Wake me when its over game – Memphis vs. Arkansas State - Yes my hometown of Memphis has a football team and no they are not very good. Arkansas State also has a pretty bad team so this one gets the first triple Z’s rating this season. Memphis has lost 10 straight and couldn’t beat an elite JV high school football team. Arkansas State has lost 8 straight non-conference games as well. Sounds like a sleeper to me as in I will sleep through this one. Keep it classy Memphis.

Coach better get it right game – South Carolina vs. Georgia - Mark Richt can go down two roads this game. If the Bulldogs win, then all is well and Georgia can make a run at the SEC East crown. If they lose then all the swirling negativity will engulf the program Its hard enough to play in the SEC but when you’re a coach who trying to keep your job its makes it that much harder. Richt and co better get this one right before its too late. And I can’t wait to see those away jerseys.

College Football Weekend Finale Spectacular

Last week due to being under the weather, I was unable to post my usual picks for the weekend (out of all weekends to be sick, it would be on championship Saturday). But thanks to a little Nyquil and some chicken noodle soup, I am good to go now. I did get to witness the massacre that was the SEC championship game, a thriller in the last Big 12 championship game and Virginia Tech holding its annual ACC invitational.




Championship Saturday always is special as it is the last week before the bowl season. Most bowls games are set and the national championship will be Auburn vs. Oregon. That one has all the makings of one the more interesting championships match-ups we’ve had in years but more on that later. As for now, lets breakdown the championship games.

SEC Championship: Auburn 56 South Carolina 14 - This one was actually interesting until the second half, as it turned into the Cam Newton show from there. The projected Heisman winner was just sensational as he displayed his talents in the Georgia Dome. He would prove that he can do it with his arm as he finished 17/28 for 335 yards and 4 touchdowns to no interceptions. He made plays are over the field, dropping beautiful passes to various receivers including a lucky Hail Mary at the end of the first half. The Hail Mary pass seemed to shift the momentum going into the second half and poor South Carolina could do nothing but watch as Newton put a stamp on his Heisman campaign. The Tigers beat the Gamecocks in every conceivable way as they rolled up 589 yards of total offense. The game was put out of reach on a Stephen Garcia interception, as he tried to lob a screen pass but was heavily pressured and T'Sharvan Bell of Auburn took the easy pick to the house. The look on Steve Spurrier’s face was priceless. He looked like a man who had no answers. Auburn goes on to face Oregon in BCS championship game.

Big 12 Championship: Oklahoma 23 Nebraska 20 – I didn’t know much about the Sooners Travis Jackson but by the end of this one I knew he was a playmaker. Jackson had 2 fumble recoveries and an interception in the win against the Cornhuskers. Nebraska shot out to an early 17-0 lead off the strength of its power run game. Roy Helu Jr. won a footrace and bolted for a 66-yard run up the gut and the Cornhuskers tacked on a field goal. Nebraska would also pull out a trick play as the former high school QB and now RB Rex Burkhead would find Kyler Reed down the middle for a 5-yard touchdown. Don’t call it a comeback though as the Sooners would strike back with Landry Jones finding an open Kenny Stills down the middle for a 42-yard touchdown. The Boomer Sooners would add their own field goal after Jackson intercepted Taylor Martinez to tie the score at 17-10. Nebraska would have another turnover on their next possession as they fumbled and the Sooners would take advantage as Landry Jones would lead Oklahoma on a short field drive and take it in on a 1-yard touchdown run tying the score at 17 all. Nebraska would get the back with 1:26 and would be able to add on another field goal to make it 20-17 at halftime. The Sooners would be the only team to score from their as they added two more field goals in the second half. Nebraska continued to shoot themselves in the foot as Martinez fumbled on their first possession and again Jackson was spot on for clean up duty. The Cornhuskers would fumble yet again as Rex Burkhead coughed it up and guess who scooped it up? You guessed right with Jackson. Oklahoma would take it down field and kick the go ahead field goal. The Cornhuskers had so many chances to take control of this game but couldn’t hold on to the ball. It’s fitting though as the title stays in the Big 12 with the Cornhuskers going to the Big 10 next year. Oklahoma will now face Uconn in the Fiesta bowl.

ACC Championship: Virginia Tech 44 Florida State 33 – As I stated above, the annual Virginia Tech invitational was held in Charlotte, North Carolina this year instead of Florida and the result was still the same. After starting the season 0-2 as everyone knows, The Hokies ran the table and took home the ACC championship for the third time in four years. This game belonged to Tyrod Taylor. He may not be the second coming of Michael Vick as he was perceived at the beginning of his career at Tech, but the senior exposed the FSU secondary going 18/28 for 263 yards and 3 touchdowns. His top target was Danny Coale and he finished the day with 6 catches for 143 yards and 1 touchdown. If there was an excuse for FSU it was that Senior starting QB Christan Ponder was unable to go after sustaining an injury last week. E.J. Manuel filled in admirably for Ponder and made a few good plays but also some very bad ones including two interceptions, with one being returned for a touchdown. His numbers weren’t that bad as he passed for 288 yards and one touchdown, but this game belonged to the Hokies. The Seminoles had a good first year for new head coach Jimbo Fisher finishing 9-4 and headed to the Chick-Fil-A bowl. The Hokies will be on their way to the Orange to face a tough Stanford team lead by Andrew Luck.



Other notables and news:

Oregon 37 Oregon State 20 – The old civil war lived up to its billing in the first half before the Ducks pulled away in the Second. LaMichael James did what LaMichael James always does rushing for 134 yards on 28 carries. Darron Thomas looked solid going 14/24 for 145 yards and two touchdowns. The win setups the match-up everyone wants to see with Auburn. Oregon State started the year with such high hopes but won’t even be bowling this year. I’ll touch on the Auburn-Oregon game later in this column. Man I loved those Jersey's Oregon had on in this one.

SEC Power – The SEC had a total of 10 schools selected to bowl games this year. That’s remarkable when you consider there are only 12 schools in the league. The match-ups include: Music City Bowl (Tennessee vs. North Carolina), BBVA Compass Bowl (Kentucky vs. Pittsburgh), Outback Bowl (Florida vs. Penn State) Liberty Bowl (Georgia vs. UCF) Chick-fil-A Bowl (Florida State vs. South Carolina) Gator Bowl (Michigan vs. Mississppi State) Capital One Bowl (Alabama vs. Michigan State) Cotton Bowl (LSU vs. Texas A&M) Sugar Bowl (Arkansas vs. Ohio State) and of course BCS Championship Game (Auburn vs. Oregon)



Auburn vs. Oregon – These are two very similar teams from the outside looking in. Both feature a spread option attack that keeps the tempo of the game at a high pace. They both have bend but don’t break defenses. The one thing the separates the two is none other than Cam Newton. I haven’t seen Oregon (Or any team that hasn’t played Auburn for that matter) face someone with the talents of the Auburn phenom. He will present a different set of challenges for the defensively stout Ducks. He has proven that he can beat you with arm as well as feet now as well. I’m interested in the scheme Oregon DC Nick Allotti comes up with. Luckily he will until Jan 10 to figure that part out. Auburn will have a tough time containing James but they have seen similar backs in the SEC after facing the likes of Marcus Lattimore, Mark Ingram, and Trent Richardson so I think they will be able to deal with him. The game will come down to Newton in the end and I believe he will be up to the challenge.



Next week I will be predicting each bowl game on a week to week basis and that should be fun. The college football regular season has ended and it’s a bittersweet moment for me. This has been a wild and unpredictable year to say the least. From the Cam Newton Bombshell to Joe Pa winning his 400th game we saw it all. The game brings out the best and worst in people but most of the time good over runs the bad. Here is to another fine college football season, now let the bowling bonanza begin.

UT report

vs.

Alabama vs. Tennessee is a game that dates back to back to 1901 and is referred to as "The Third Saturday in October. It is one of the best rivalries in the south and usually has championship implications on it. Let's just say this year not so much. UT was handed its 4th consectutive lost in the series after being bulldozed by the Crimson Tide 41-10.The Alabama offense had its way with Tennesse. Julio Jones shredded the Vols secondary for 12 catches and 221 yards receving (but failed to get a touchdown, weird huh?) and the Crimson Tide running backs combined for 210 yards. Trent Richardson finished with 119 yards on 12 carries and defending Heisman winner Mark Ingram had 14 carries for 88 yards.

The bright spots for far and few for the Vols.Tennessee was actually in this game in the first half. Matt Simms lead a drive at the end of the 2nd quarter that ended up with a field goal and UT went to the locker room down just 13-10. But their fortunes quickly turned in the 2nd half of play. The first play of the 3rd quarter for Alabama resulted in a 38-yard strike from Greg McElroy to Jones. The next play after Mark Ingram ran for a 12 yard gain, McElroy found Jones again for 19 yards.From there Mark Ingram punched it in and the game began to slide for the Vols from there.  Michael Palardy missed a 52-yard field goal on the next possession. Alabama in turn scored on its next drive with a 65-yard rumble from Richardson.

The game was not in doubt after that. Tauren Poole ran for 117 yards and a score on 14 carries and looked especially strong in the first half game. Matt Simms finished 11 of 22 for 117 yards and one interception. Tennessee did have some big plays in the game including a 59 yard burst for Poole for a touchdown. That was the longest rush of the year for the Vols. UT would go on to have carries of 59, 15 and 13 yards on Bama. They just cannot sustain those drives enough to get scores out of them. Matt Simms as tough as he is, does not have the arm of most SEC quarterbacks. He can only make a limited amount of throws and thus limit the offense. The offensive line seems to be getting better every week and was very strong in the run game this game.

All in all, it is about what I anticipated this game to be. Alabama's talent and depth eventually took over as the game went on. UT fought a good battle but wasn't able to contain Bama's stable of athletes. It will take awhile and a few more good recruiting classes from Derek Dooley and staff to be able to compete with the Crimson Tide.