And so my annual prediction of the season for the Crimson Tide. This year’s schedule looks brutal and while I think they can repeat as national champions, I doubt they will be undefeated. To the schedule…

09/04/10 vs. San Jose State
I guess they needed the huge payout or ‘Bama wanted a scrimmage. Should roll here.

09/11/10 vs. Penn State
It’s a home game so that is a huge advantage for the Tide. The Tide is more talented than Penn State but … it’s Penn State. They have a habit of playing down and up to the level of their competitor.

This is also the National Championship of All-Time College Uniforms. Both of these looks are awesome and any athlete would be proud to wear either one of these unis.

Pick: Tide

09/18/10 at Duke
Thank God it’s not basketball. Another W.

09/25/10 at Arkansas
And here is where the road gets rocky. It’s AT Arkansas, then Florida, then AT SC. Not an easy 3 game stretch. Alabama always seems to get the upper hand on the Hogs since Saban has been around. Mallet will be better but he doesn’t play defense.

The Tide in another nail-biter.

10/02/10 vs. Florida
Tide could lose this game — but I’m betting no because they’ll be at home and all hyped up. Another close game but no Tebow. He’s wearing another shade of orange and blue.

10/09/10 at South Carolina
This is one of the two games I think ‘Bama will go into flat and have a let down. The other one is the LSU game. Both on the road, both coming off big rival games, both home teams coming off a bye. Just spells ambush for the Tide. I’m picking the Tide to win this one…not as confident going into Death Valley.

10/16/10 vs. Mississippi
Ole Miss could be in for a long year – injuries, NCAA issues, and the always present Houston Nutt discovering another way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Tide wins.

10/23/10 at Tennessee
Another win. Knoxville is one of the coolest stadiums in the world though.

11/06/10 at LSU
In Red Stick, LA. This is an ambush game and you wouldn’t think so with Saban having coached there but it is. No one (except LSU fans) expects much out of the Bayou Tigers and that’s when they are so dangerous. My head says it’s a loss, my heart thinks it’s a loss.

11/13/10 vs. Mississippi State
Rack ‘em up. It’s a win.

11/18/10 vs. Georgia State
This is Georgia State’s first year to play football and this game could get ugly quick. Why is it on the schedule? Bill Curry, former Alabama coach is starting up this program and needs cash to get some stuff done. “Bama said — come on over. We’ll give you a big fat check along with a big fat punch in the mouth.

11/26/10 vs. Auburn
The other team in Alabama is deeper this year (24 seniors return to this squad) and they’ll be plenty motivated as they pushed Alabama to the 4th quarter last year. It’s on the plains so anything could happen. I’m going with the Tide.

Overall — an 11-1 season and a birth in the SEC championship game. A W there and it’s National Championship game all over again.

To much to hope for?

Is it 13 National Championships or 8?
Alabama claims these years as national championships – 1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, and of course 2009. Interesting controversy given that if we had a playoff, we wouldn’t be even talking like this. Alas, we don’t so college presidents can take some of the blame for creating a culture where this kind of debate can take place.

For a LONG explanation – read here. It fleshes it all out in glorious detail.

Here’s the short version: The Official NCAA record book recognizes Alabama with seven “consensus” national championships — the six by Bryant (1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, and 1979) and Gene Stalling’s in 1992. Plus last nights, that gets you to 8. (That was for all my Auburn audience out there that has a hard time adding.) The official count of National Championships for the NCAA starts with the year 1950.

In the same record book, the NCAA looks back and lists how past football seasons would have played out using the current/past bowl system. For the 1925 and 1926 seasons, they list Alabama as the national champions. “Not official” but listed in the same book…just like college football. Take something simple, make it ridiculously complicated, don’t talk plainly about it, make money off of it, and call it wonderful.

Another independent source – the College Football Data Warehouse – adds the ’30 and ’34 season to the Alabama stash of championships.

So what about the 1941 championship? Hardest one to defend really. Alabama went 8-2, losing to eventual SEC champion Mississippi State and finished #20 in the AP poll. I have no idea how that year is a national championship. Nothing I can find really explains it. Just like I have no idea how Alabama DID NOT get the National Championship in 1966 after going undefeated for the 3rd year in a row and the pox of creation Notre Dame won it. Or the ’77 season as well. But I’m not bitter.

Good thing we have the BCS now to eliminate all future confusion and potential of that happening again, right Boise State?

Is Saban Ever Happy?
If I were the two students who donked the Gatorade bucket on Saban last night, I wouldn’t expect a lot of playing time next year. Even after the game, Saban looked like the losing coach. In the press conference, he laughed a bit when asked about the Gatorade but just a bit…and those players are still running the stairs at the Rose Bowl.

I’m guessing he is happy but more relieved. But who would know. Maybe Saban is like the Grumpy dwarf. Maybe he’s so protective of himself in the media, we’re never going to know. After the beating he took in the media after the Dolphin/Bama dance, who could blame him for basically giving the media nothing. Mack Brown on the other hand – can see why he is such a huge hit on the recruiting trail.

Will ‘Bama repeat?
Jeez, can we just enjoy this one for a bit? Sure we can. Roll Tide. Hey Texas, Hey Texas…Rammer Jammer…

But let’s just get this straight right now – McElroy did not WIN that game last night. The Alabama defense and two monster, not of this planet running backs won that game last night. The Gilbert kid from Texas played better than McElroy.

Ok, that’s not entirely true. The turnovers were bad but they weren’t all his fault. If Texas had another WR other than Jordan Shipley that could catch…be a completely different game. Well, not completely different. Bama D did what it did all year long – keep game close, punish opposing teams when they make a mistake, then ask the offense to not screw the thing up.

They can repeat if QB play improves. If it doesn’t…not sure. Arkansas – if Ryan Mallett returns – will be stacked. LSU & Auburn will be greatly improved as well as Tennessee if Kiffin can keep his players out of jail. I’d like to think yes…but that’s why they play the games.

In the meantime — Roll Tide and another dominant showing by the SEC in the BCS Championship game.

There probably hasn’t been a closer match-up in the title game since the last time Texas was here against USC. In that game, Texas was considered an underdog, the pundits underestimated the impact the Texas QB would have. I think there are a lot of parallels in this game as well.

As a Tide fan – nothing was more satisfying than the dominant performance over the Gators in the SEC Championship game. Alabama dominated in every phase of the game, played their most complete game ever. It was a welcome site after eeking out a win against Auburn, needing 3 block kicks against Tennessee, and a Herculean effort from Ingram to beat South Carolina. In other words, Alabama has played close, tight games this season and their defense, special teams and Ingram has bailed them out.

Texas had a great season then laid an egg in the national spotlight against Nebraska in the Big 12 game. What was forgotten was the way they had dominated every one else the rest of the year. While Nebraska’s offense was hideous that night (and for most of the season as well) part of the reason was because of Texas’ defense.

So what to expect tonight? Expect to see Alabama’s defense do what they’ve done all year – roll up on 1st and 2nd down, putting the offense in 3rd and long so they can unleash the Frankenstein of Saban. 3rd and long is never fun for an offense but Alabama’s defense takes it to an art form. They were #3 in the nation in forcing 3 and outs. It’s just about impossible to convert 3rd down against Alabama.

Having said that if any team is equipped to battle this it is Texas. Colt McCoy may not have the urban legendness of Tebow but he is every bit as good as him. A fact I’m sure Saban has hammered into his defense. If Texas can’t get the rushing game going, it will be a long night for them.

On offense – Texas will stack the box and put the game in McElroy’s hand. Can the 1st year QB handle it? Will he perform ala Auburn/Florida game or South Carolina/Tennessee game? I’m guessing Texas will man to man in the secondary. Alabama’s WR Maze and Jones should be able to take advantage of this and they should have plenty of open looks and opportunities. The question is can McElroy get them the ball accurately, on time before getting hit?

Interesting Tidbit of Game #1 – take a look at how many Mac’s are in this game? McElroy, McCoy, McElwain, Mack Brown, McClain. What does it mean? Not sure…

Interesting Tidbit of Game #2 – I made this comment in passing, was about to blog on it, decided to google it first – found out someone had beat me to the punch. The Curse of the White Helmet. The article is worth reading but here is the short version…

Teams that have wore the white helmets this post-season have by and large gotten their clocks cleaned. Florida Gators rocked the white helmet in the SEC championship game – blown out. Oregon wore white vs. Ohio State, making OSU look dominant. Arizona changed to a white helmet for their bowl game against Nebraska. Result: Nebraska looked like Florida. Florida went back to orange helmets while Cincy rocked out new white helmets. Result: Florida beat Cincy worse than they got beat when they last wore white helmets.

Other notable white helmets:
Auburn wore white helmets and escaped with a W somehow against Northwestern.
Penn State needed a monsoon and game winning field goal to beat LSU.

Roll Tide.

Hearing Boomer Sooner all night long was terrible that was only made worse when the TV cut to Brian Bosworth which was made worse by hearing the Big 12 Apologists as commentators which was made worse by… oh wait, Oklahoma scored again.

I hate the Sooners. I hate their song. It’s worse than Rocky Top. I hate the stupid wagon thing that got penalized on national TV. Their logo ought to be changed from the OU to UZI. I think they have the ugliest cheerleaders in the nation.

Okay, that was a cheap shot. The wagon is actually pretty cool.

What the Sooners did wasn’t a huge surprise. Tech hadn’t played a defense that talented or physical all season. And neither has Oklahoma but I digress, Tech just got manhandled in the trenches on both sides of ball.

Who should win the Big 12 South? Texas. It’s a no brainer. They beat Oklahoma. Beat them badly on a neutral field. They are one dropped interception from being undefeated. And they are not Oklahoma.

But watch the BCS screw this up and rank Oklahoma ahead of Texas. Getting lost in all of this is the Big 12 Championship game. You gotta believe that Missouri is just watching and listening and stewing over being forgotten. Here’s hoping they take advantage of their chance to make life miserable for the BCS.

In the SEC, it’s simple. Last Gladiator standing goes to BCS Championship game. Florida/Alabama in the championship is going to be AWESOME. That defense against that offense…it will be great. By the way – every time Alabama has gone to the SEC Championship game, they’ve faced Florida.

The LSU game loomed on the calendar all season long. Death Valley is a nightmare place to play – over 94,000 in attendance this past weekend – and we all know how much Saban is loved and welcomed back.

First, neither team played to the best of their ability. Turnovers and penalties made it crystal clear that neither team was firing on all cylinders. Having said that, Alabama won. Which may be good enough to get through the rest of the season…but it won’t get them past Florida.

What isn’t good enough? Special Teams. Fumbles and missed field goals made this a much closer game that it needed to be. Alabama left 13 points on the field in this category. (Giving 7 on the fumble, 2 missed field goals). Try that against Texas Tech or whoever the Big 12 sends to the championship game and it will be over quick.

Speaking of Texas Tech, should they be the Number 1 team in the nation? I wish they were. I’d be just fine with Alabama at #2. There’s a decent argument for it – they beat Texas, beat Oklahoma State. Just like Bama, they have a couple of more big games left on the ticket – namely Oklahoma and Missouri. Their work isn’t done yet.

Texas Tech’s offense is staggering. They have a ton of weapons. On the other hand, they haven’t played a SEC defense. The Big 12 puts their best athletes on offense and they’ve got the quarterbacks and receivers to prove it. SEC puts theirs on defense. They’ve got the lineman and linebackers to prove that. Can’t wait to see that match up.