Why Alabama!?!
by gdizzle320 on Dec 7, 2008 8:23 PM MST
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PrintLet me clear the air right here. I am not a Utah fan. I am a Michigan Wolverines fan, but for some reason they decided to turn in the worst season in their history this year so I had to find another team or two to follow until they right the ship. I am always a fan of Non-BCS underdog stories and this year was good for that. There was Utah, Ball State, BYU, TCU, Boise State, Tulsa, and East Carolina. I liked to see Tulsa's First Year starter Senior David Johnson be the best QB in college for most of the season but from the begining I knew Utah was the best. Like I said I'm a Michigan fan. Once I saw them beat Michigan in the Big House I knew they were something special.
In the end, as you all know, Utah finished undefeated and, thanks to the BYU and TCU for making the Mountain West seem stronger this year, they were the highest rated in the BCS and earned themselves a trip to the Sugar Bowl.
That was all great until I figured out who they were playing, ALA-FREAKIN-BAMA. This is a team that were so close to the championship that they could taste it. A team that has probably the best coach in the NCAA. A team with no superstars, that wins because they do everything perfect. This is a team that will come into the Sugar Bowl Looking for revenge and will just systematically destroy the team on the other side.
The kind of team that a Non-BCS team would want to see is one that would maybe take them lightly or think that after all of their hard work through the season, all they get is a game with Utah and see it as a slap in the face. Or a team that gets by with star power. There are ways to contain star power but usually no one can think of a way until it counts the most. Alabama is none of these things they're a sick warped demented collegiate version of a Poor mans New England Patriots.
What I am trying to say is that Non-BCS teams win in Bowl games because they sneak up on teams and there is no sneaking up on Bama. I am not ruling Utah out completely, but they better have a ton of magic left in them, and if they do that would be some way to end a season, beating a team that is flawless.
UPDATE: Saban has resently suspended Andre Smith from the sugar bowl.
For Utah this is really great for 2 reasons.
1) he is their best player and he's not playing.
2) he was suspended for trouble with the team involving his agent. This shows that the attitude of the team is not what I expected. It seems that Saban is not really motivating them as I thought and that the good juniors and seniors on the team are looking past the game and ahaed to the draft
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Thanks...
…for the compliments about our team!
My greatest fear about this game is a letdown. I don’t mean a letdown because Utah isn’t a worthy opponent and that the Tide will take them lightly, but a mental letdown because we were this freaking close to playing for all of the marbles in Miami. I just hope Bama can keep up the intensity. I’m glad there’s over three weeks to prepare because I imagine our squad is emotionally and physically exhausted after yesterday’s game. Hopefully ’ol Nick will have them back up and roaring at full steam in NOLA.
No way . . .
No way Saban’s teanm will see a let down, that is teh one thing he will see to.
Grats on a great season and your team looks terrific to me, we’re honored to play them this year.
Well . . .
I would prefer not to have to play Saban’s team after a loss. But you know, the alternative was playing Tebow and Meyer after a loss.
Frying pan or fire?
Bama is big, huge really. Let’s hope we can wear them down some. I think their Dbacks matchup extremely well versus our receivers so I don’t see us getting much separation.
Hoping for a good game and that the best team wins.
Johnson gives us competitiveness, that helps.
Bama really isn't as good as everyone seems
Alabama, yes had an amazing season and is going to be kicking themselves for letting a chance at the title slip away. But when you look at these to teams, there isn’t much difference except maybe size and weight on the o-lines. Both teams are very balanced teams and are not very one sided. Alabama will does not have the speed or the big time playmakers that a Florida team does, so they won’t be able to blow you out of the water. No offense to Alabama or the SEC but other than Florida and maybe Georgia a little bit, the SEC had a down year when it comes to what they usually do. Alabama really didn’t have as tough of a schedule as everyone thought they might have had. Auburn really poor season, Georgia one of the biggest disappointments this season, LSU to many QB issues, Arkansas loss of McFadden and Felix Jones, Tennessee…well who needs to say anything other than lost to Wyoming…at HOME! South Carolina had just another okay season. So when you look at who Alabama played and say well they had a very difficult schedule. By the standards of the way the SEC usually is, it was more of a down year as a conference. The SEC still is one of the best, and toughest conferences by far. Also Saban is not the best coach in NCAA, not even in the top 5. Pete Carrol is hands down the best in the business, knows how to win in big games and is at the top every year. Not to mention, Joe Pa, Jim Tressel, Mack Brown, Bob Stoops, and even Urban Meyer. All are better coaches by doing what a coach is there to do, coach and win games, not only regular season games but conference championships and nat’l titles. This is be one of the best bowl games this season, there will be a lot and it is going to be exciting to watch, but this one will be up there as one to remember for years to come.
I don't really agree.
Speed was not a factor in the SECCG. What cost Bama the game was 2 or 3 mistakes. In fact, those mistakes didn’t even seem very critical at the time, but they were the difference in field position or keeping a Florida drive alive. Alabama has a great team. The only problem is that they lack the talented depth that some other schools have like Florida.
And speaking of that, I would not take any other coach over Nick Saban. He took a bunch of players that didn’t have nearly as much talent as LSU, Georgia, Florida or other schools like that, and coached them to an undefeated regular season and about 10 or 15 minutes away from the national championship game. What other coach do you know of that would have been capable of doing that?
If Alabama could almost beat a star-studded Florida team with what they’ve got this year, just imagine what he’ll be able to do with the team once he gets a couple of more recruiting classes in there! I can’t wait.
Urban Meyer
He took Bowling Green and made them a top 25 team.
He took Utah into the top 6 and to a BCS bowl.
He took Florida to the national championship.
All of these in just two years at each.
Saban not in top 5???
Jim Tressel a better coach than Saban? Ask the OSU fans if they would make that trade. I can promise you that no alabama fan would trade Saban for any of the coaches you mentioned. Just wait and see who has the best record and the most championships over the next 5 years.
Behind ememy lines
I have lived in the Birmingham area for 10 years now and have cheered my Utes on from behind enemy lines. I have watched the sometimes comical events centered around the Alabama coaching staff over the past few years. Now St. Nick in his second year is doing a great job, but does not hide his disdain at having to play a mediocre team in the Sugar Bowl when he could be coaching for the National title. I’m just a casual observer during the annual Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn and that is not easily done in a state where football is a religion. I own and wear 1 of the few Utah hats in the state, getting quizzical looks from people and am often asked “what is that team?”. After the Sugar Bowl announcement, the hat is readily noticed. Every radio station and newspaper declares that a blow-out is in the making. We will see. To the fans in Utah enjoy the company of one another in talking about and pedicting the big game results. Know that there is at least 1 Utah hat in the state of Alabama in the backyard of the enemy.
You live in Birmingham, Alabama?
I only ask because everything I hear is that Bama better not let Utah stay in the game. I am not hearing ANYTHING about a blowout and I listen to JOX and read every Bama and local site daily. I think you may be looking at the situation from rose colored glasses my friend.
"With a girl - I-HOP; with the guys - Waffle House; with a girl you are pulling wingman on - Taco Bell." Comer, on his favorite place to eat at 3 a.m.
by BamaReturns07 on Dec 29, 2008 4:12 PM MST up reply actions
I always find it funny that a team or it’s coach suddenly become overrated or disrespectful when they are suddenly your opponent.
So scot, even though I came here to be complimentary to a very fine football team, I’ll put to you this way: The SEC may have been down, but if the Utes played in it rather than the MW you’d have at least two, maybe three losses. Just a matter of fact.
You’re also totally wrong about CNS: He’s an obsessive perfectionist, and I’d take him over ANY of the coaches you mentioned, even Saint Meyer or Pete Carroll. What he did with these boys this season is nothing short of genius, and anyone who knows coaching will tell you so. The championships will come, no doubt.
And if I were a betting man, he’ll add a Sugar Bowl win to the resume’ as well.
westok: Nick has neither said nor acted in any disdainful manner with respect to Utah, and to say so is patently false. Not one word. If you confuse being disappointed that we aren’t playing for the title as disrespect, well, you certainly miss the mark.
Most Bama fans are disappointed to be playing Utah in the Sugar Bowl. Not because we have any disrespect for the Utes, but because we were so close to playing for the Title. We’d be disappointed to be playing ANYONE in the Sugar Bowl. As for the media, well, we have no great love for them, so let them blather.
I’ll wager you that Nick will be nothing but complimentary of the Utes. And then he’ll commit himself and the team to knowing what you plan to do, what you do well, and be relentless and focused on the plan to stop it, on both sides of the ball.
Utah is a great team, and I think you guys take away from your Utes that when you make comments unfounded and inaccurate.
I for one look forward to the game, and think it will be a good one.
!!!
I really think MetallibamA nailed it:
Nick has neither said nor acted in any disdainful manner with respect to Utah, and to say so is patently false. Not one word. If you confuse being disappointed that we aren’t playing for the title as disrespect, well, you certainly miss the mark.
Most Bama fans are disappointed to be playing Utah in the Sugar Bowl. Not because we have any disrespect for the Utes, but because we were so close to playing for the Title. We’d be disappointed to be playing ANYONE in the Sugar Bowl. As for the media, well, we have no great love for them, so let them blather.
He brings up three main points that I think can’t get emphasized enough:
1. Nick Saban is disappointed to not be playing in the BCSCG
2. The fans are disappointed to not be playing in the BCSCG
As mentioned, it wouldn’t matter who the Sugar Bowl opponent was, it could be USC, Texas, etc., but because it isn’t Oklahoma in Miami, it’s a disappointment. We were less than a quarter hour away from the BCSCG and that was a disappointment to let the perfect season slip away.
I doubt Saban or the team is chalking anything up as an automatic win. Remember, everyone on this team (except for the true freshmen like Julio Jones and Mark Ingram) lost a game to a 6-6 Louisiana-Monroe team last year. I’m pretty sure that feeling will never go away.
I posted this on another site recently and will cut and paste it here regarding our fans:
Sure, there are some Alabama fans that feel somehow slighted by being matched up with Utah, but that’s likely the bandwagon fans or the delusional ones living in the past. The true fans remember Alabama’s past dismal decade all too well. They remember losses to Louisiana-Monroe, Central Florida, Northern Illinois and Louisiana Tech. To go a bit further back they remember an up and coming Louisville program who had been nobody (with only two winning seasons in the decade prior to 1990) absolutely destroying us in the 1991 Fiesta Bowl.
I guess what I’m getting at is that this isn’t a program that has the right to look past anyone in the past decade and certainly not a team of Utah’s caliber. I think most of the true fans that are great lovers of the game know what Utah is capable of. Heck, our state is so football crazed there is probably a network of people mailing out DVDs and setting up bit torrents of your past games so we’ll be as educated as possible on y’all. :D
And the third point…
3. As for the media, well, we have no great love for them, so let them blather.
The media has to talk about this game for four weeks. That’s a long time to talk about one game. Additionally, the sports media (more often talk radio and TV than print) often poke anthills with sticks just to get something to talk about. Sure, there are plenty of good ones, but a lot of them get into the “he said, she said” or just fabricate stuff entirely: e.g. “word on the street is ______.” You can say ‘word on the street…" and follow it with anything to get people going because it’s sourceless and vague and will get things going.
Nico2.0 and MeallibamA
I disagree a little bit. I think Saban started on day one by discounting our accomplishments when he said that you were the “only team in a BCS conference who went undefeated during the regular season”. That’s technically true, but prior to the Florida game Utah and Alabama had almost the exact same SOS (mid 70s), so our ability to go 12-0 against a schedule with the same difficulty as your schedule shouldn’t be discounted (at least, that’s how we feel). Your coach feels like you’re better simply because of conference affiliation. We disagree, and we’ve gone to lengths to prove it to Oregon State, Michigan, UCLA, Georgia Tech, Pitt, North Carolina, Texas A&M, USC, Oregon, Cal, and a host of other BCS schools. 12-0 is 12-0.
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
I think
that you’re analyzing what he said a little too much. He never takes any team for granted. Watch all of his press conferences. It doesn’t matter if we’re playing a team that’s won every game the past ten years or a team that’s lost ever game the last ten years, he takes each one seriously. And he always makes a point to talk and commend each upcoming opponent on their strengths. He was not taking a jab at Utah at all, he was just recognizing the accomplishment that Bama made this year.
Good Points
Hello sir:
I think ’Bama fans have to be given credit for being classy and knowledgeable about the game. Saban will not take us lightly, too much at stake. Alabama will not want to lose 2 in a row and that D will be murderous. That is an indication that we will not be unappreciated.
Cheers, and yes, the media has to earn its income, but how seriously do we take guys who call and blather about games professionally anyway? Not very.
Bob
Tough Draw
I have to agree about Alabama being a very tough draw, but you can’t tell me that Texas players don’t have a chip on their shoulder at least as big as ’Bama’s. I think they’re going to lay the wood to OSU.
Saban vs. Carrol
Metallibama- I am not discrediting the great accomplishments that Alabama has had this season with Nick Saban running the show. You go right ahead and take Nick Saban over Pete Carrol, but when it comes down to a big game (like the SEC Title game this past week) Pete Carrol finds ways to win games. Wilson is a much much better quarterback than Sanchez is and Coffee is an outstanding running back. But if the title game had come down to USC and Alabama this season. It would be a good game but in the end USC would find a way to come away with the win, unless it turned out to be a blowout. Just like Urban Meyer’s team found a way to win the game last week and didn’t crumble in the fourth quarter.
Also if Saban hadn’t left LSU a few years ago, and even stayed true to his word about “I’m not leaving Miami” a couple years ago you wouldn’t even be talking about the man. If he would have stayed and LSU you’d dislike him for being a conference opponent, had he stayed in Miami, Alabama would never care.
The comment Saban made about a “real BCS conference” well what does he exactly expect teams like Utah and Boise State to do about being in a “real BCS conference” It is not these schools fault the BCS is so messed up and so strong/rich school bias that teams like Utah, Boise State, BYU, and TCU have to have perfect seasons to even have a shot at this. Had Alabama lost a couple games this year, like Ohio State did for example, the could still be in the position that they are in. He can sit and talk about his “real BCS conference” all he wants. We’ll see what happens come game time. It should be a really great game for both teams. Even if one isn’t a “real BCS team”
I understand you guys feel disrespected. I’m sure you are thinking "We are 12-0!! We want our shot!!"
Let me ask you this. If there wasn’t a BCS and an automatic bid to the non-BCS conferences, does Utah even come close to sniffing the title game? Or play in a bowl game that will gain them 4.5 million dollars just for showing up? NOOOO!!!!!! The fact is the BCS is good for teams like Utah, BYU and TCU. It gives you guys a shot at the spot light, when other wise they wouldn’t.
Am I a fan of midmajors…..to be completely honest…..not really. I think last years Hawaii team was a joke and never should have been in a BCS bowl, let alone in the top 25. Why? Cause they played NO ONE! Now you guys are a little different because you stepped out and played teams in the top 25 and won. For that I give you props. Boise annoys the crap out of me though. Look at this schedule and tell me is it worth a top 10 ranking?
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/teams/schedule?teamId=68
I don’t see it. Call me crazy but playing one top 25 team isn’t worth even being ranked. I don’t care what the margin of victory is.
I don’t think there is a way for me to adequately explain why Alabama’s 12-1 record is much better than Utah’s 12-0, without in some way offending you. You guys have a chip on your shoulder and have the attitude of " It’s us against the world". Well I don’t see it that way. You say your 12-0 record is equal due to the SoS rankings. Ok ill give you that. But id like to know what you guys think your record would be if you played our schedule?
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/teams/schedule?teamId=333
Still 12-0, 11-1 9-3? Perhaps that high this year, but when the SEC is at its best and teams like AU, UT and LSU aren’t having their worst years in recent memory, I think that win total drops dramatically. Is that a diss on Utah? No its just hard facts. So when Saban talks about "real BCS conferences" he’s not slamming your guys. He’s just alluding to the fact that year in and year, SEC teams on average play a much harder schedule than teams from mid-major conferences. That’s what gives us the edge in the rankings. Now, go and play 3-5 top 25 teams EVERY year and win every one of them, then you’ll have a damn strong argument. But until then, it is what it is.
When you are an Alabama fan you have to hate Auburn, I hate Tennessee because i want to.
Bammer, check the strength of schedules
Prior to the Florida game your Sagarin SOS was lower than ours. Your NCAA SOS is STILL lower than ours, and that includes the Florida game. Our 12-0 is at least as good as your 12-1, if not better (since ours doesn’t have any losses in it). Your best-ranked opponent (other than Florida) was Georgia, at 15. Our schedule compares very favorably to yours this year. Most years playing in the SEC will mean a tougher schedule no matter who Utah schedules OOC, but not this year.
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
by displacedute on Dec 10, 2008 9:32 AM MST up reply actions
Also, our record would probably be 12-0 going into the Florida game, just like yours
1- Clemson. Clemson is average. Utah wins.
2- Tulane. Joke. Utah wins.
3- Western Kentucky. Joke. Utah wins.
4- Arkansas. Average. Utah wins.
5- Georgia. Georgia’s good. Here’s the only possible loss on the schedule. But we beat TCU (ranked higher) so I’ll say Utah wins.
6- Kentucky. Not last year’s Kentucky. Utah wins.
7- Mississippi. Decent, but not great. Utah wins.
8- Tennessee. UT 7, Wyoming 13. Utah 40, Wyoming 7. Utah wins.
9- Arkansas State. Joke. Utah wins.
10- LSU. Pretty good, but their QB is turnover prone. With our secondary, that’s a recipe for disaster. Utah wins.
11- Mississippi State. Bad. Utah wins.
12- Auburn. Not good. Utah wins.
So that’s 12-0 or 11-1. Maybe if we played very poorly we’d be 10-2. And if Alabama played our schedule TCU or BYU could have beaten you. So don’t give me this “SEC rules” garbage. Not this year.
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
by displacedute on Dec 10, 2008 9:40 AM MST up reply actions
I don't want to come off as a jerk, i really don't
But wouldn’t anything i say would come across as “SEC rules” to you guys? Probably. I have read the comments. Plus you guys have the whole “disrespected card”.
I don’t compare SoS rankings. Why? cause its to subjective. You look at one team like LSU, and say you win. I say you lose. You look at who they lost to and say "Oh we’d beat those teams’ but yet you have no clue.
Weber State?
Colorado State?
San Diego State?
UNLV?
New Mexico?
Utah State?
Wyoming?
Come on man, those aren’t LSU’s, Clemson’s, Ole Miss’s, UGA’s, GT’s or UF’s. Playing ONE top 25 team outside your conference doesn’t do anything. Now im sure Utah thought Michigan would be this bad but you didn’t think OSU would be decent either, and they are usually pretty bad. Beating USC doesn’t make them elite quite yet. And thats just it. To get up in the rankings your OOC would have to be AMAZING just to make you legit. Is it right….well to be thought of as the best, you have to play the best. And not just once every couple season but EVERY YEAR! You guys are trying to. I get that.
Some of the SEC is down but lets not get all crazy here. The talent level of the teams we face week in and week out are so much higher. Even on a down year. YOu guy might pull it out one season, but doing it every season is a different story. Have you played a team as physical as LSU or Ole Miss this year? UF or UGA? TCU and BYU are good teams no doubt but who did they play that makes them legit?
Its not just about W-L’s. If thats your measuring stick, then every 9-2 teams should be a top 10. Its about match ups and talent level. AGIAN, I THINK UTAH IS A GOOD TEAM AND DESERVES THIS BOWL. But don’t act all high and mighty. Like i said, you MIGHT and i say with a HUGE MIGHT go 11-1 with that schedule. Thats best case scenario.
Im sure i sound like a jerk….im trying not to.
When you are an Alabama fan you have to hate Auburn, I hate Tennessee because i want to.
Well, I'd say Sagarin (at least) is fairly objective
since he uses a computer to compare schools. I don’t like the NCAA ratings very much (even though our SOS is higher there than yours) because I think they don’t account enough for the win-loss records of the teams on the schedules of the teams you beat.
And your second post comes off much less jerky than your first post.
Also, yes, TCU and BYU are very physical. TCU is also fast, and so is Oregon State.
And Oregon State has been pretty good for several years. 11-1 in 2000, 8-5 in 2002, 2003, 2004, 10-4 in 2006, 9-4 last year. That’s not elite-level, but pretty good in a decent BCS conference.
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
by displacedute on Dec 10, 2008 11:06 AM MST up reply actions
Fair enough.
It’s always really hard to compare schedules. FWIW, my guess is that the Utes would go 9-3, 10-2, or 11-1 against Bama’s schedule this year—I doubt they’d beat Georgia at Georgia, and they might lose to LSU and Ole Miss. Of course, y’all just about gacked it away at LSU…by pre-overtime rules you’d be 11-0-1 going into the SEC final, and the Ole Miss game was pretty darn close too. I’d give Bama 11-1 or 12-0 against the Utes’ schedule; Oregon State and BYU are both dangerous and TCU is scary-good, but we got them all at home (phew). Our hardest away games were to Air Force and New Mexico, neither of which I would expect to give y’all trouble.
And Bama didn’t play ANY top 25 teams out of conference (if you get to say Clemson, then you have to give us a quality win for Michigan ;) ). So we have that going for us, anyway.
For what it’s worth I think Bama’s got the edge in this game, because it will be effectively a home game. If they were playing in the Fiesta I’d like the Utes’ chances a lot better.
Agreed
Our opposition contained teams that weren’t good this year, but you did not play Wyoming at 7,200 feet either. Try it sometime, maybe you will win, maybe you’ll be surprised how hard it is to run for 4 quarters at that elevation.
Strength of Schedule is interesting, TCU, OSU, Michigan at their place first game (frankly, I’d love to have seen your offense play that defense for their respective first games—they had a tough D, but their O sucks and makes everyone else’s O look good by leaving them out there all game), Oregon State, Air Force at their place, not an especially death defying schedule, but not a cake walk—neither was ’Bama’s schedule, regardless of their SEC foe records. But when you win in Georgia, is it really much of a change in Atmosphere outside of fans? No, not really.
Every conference has challenges. The SEC is known for its toughness primarily because every SEC team says that is the way it is. But teh Big Ten would love ot see a national title game played in Michigan one year. Most eveyr Championship game won by the SEC they don’t travel for. Let’s see you play the NC game in War Memorial, hell even on the West Coast, or up north sometime. Try travelling to Hawaii to play anyone, it’s not easy.
It is less difficult to win at home or close to it though. Southern teams are notorious for staying close to home for bragging rights. Get outside your shell sometime and take some chances, then get back to us. I know people in the south think football everywhere else is a joke, but they’ve never travelled regularly enough to know otherwise and most bowls are played in their backyard. If southern fans spend the most to attend games and that’s all they do, it’s a self perpetuating myth. If we cared about football as much as Southerners do, there would be a comparison but we really don’t. That is why some of us in the West kind of wonder where all this “we rule our own roost” stuff comes from, you know? I mean, ok, cool. Southerners love football and they make better football teams, and spend 20 times as much on them. Cool. But we don’t. It really has to be experienced by westerners, SEC football, to be believed. I was shocked at how serious it is taken here. For us it is fun because it’s a banner year, you guys would be talking about it this much if you were 6-6. We love our team, sure, but we do other stuff, too.
Ole Pete Carroll will play anyone there or his place. That impresses me far more than anyone in the MWC, Big Ten, Big 12 or SEC or ACC saying how tough their conference is.
You guys could beat Boise State in NOLA easy I’d bet. Go play at their place in January on that god forsaken blue field with them all in blue and let me know how it goes. Win or lose, you’ll not be the same team.
Congrats again on a great year and a great looking team for next year, which must make you guys doubly happy.
Mean Bob Mean
Yeah i get that
I bet playing in that high altitude isn’t fun at all. Well maybe a little….Try playing 4 quarters in 110 degree heat, in the middle of the day. Thats also something you will never forget.
I really don’t know why the SEC doesn’t leave their backyard more. I do know that Alabama had a home and home with UCLA, UGA just got done have a home and home with a Pac-10 team, Bama also played Hawaii in a home and home series, Tennessee seems to be playing Pac-10 teams a lot in Cal and UCLA…Auburn did a home and home with USC, LSU played ASU a few years back…and thats just off the top of my head and just Pac-10 teams. Alabama has a home and home with Penn State starting in ’10, got done playing Clemson this year and will play VA Tech next year in the dome. Auburn is playing West Virginia in a home and home, UF is going at with Miami, we played FSU last year….I could go ON AND ON.
The fact is that with so many top 25 teams that are usually (not always like this year) but usually in the SEC, its hard to go out and schedule OOC games with other top 25 teams. At some point you need a give me game to rest up. So you can say that the SEC doesn’t travel (but by what i said above that really isn’t correct) But answer me this. Why should we? Like Nico said in another thread, we are 4-0 in BCS CG’s. This might sound cocky, but with our bowl records and everything else, shouldn’t teams need to come to us? We don’t need to prove anything. Now if our bowl record was as bad as other conferences, we would probably have to prove our point. But as it stands right now, we dont,
When you are an Alabama fan you have to hate Auburn, I hate Tennessee because i want to.
Yes and no
In the alluded to “decades of SEC dominance” in football?
These recent home and homes? They are very few and very far between. There is no historical record of southern teams traveling out to play much at all, well FSU used to because they wanted the exposure and Schnellenberger did it at Miami—all of that too in recent history. I would not call a home and home with FSU a traveling hardship or translocation to an exotic and tough locale for Alabama, by the way. Again, play 40 years of bowl games in Michigan and the Midwest and Northwest and get back to me on the amazing bowl records.
The BCS unwittingly made that happen, you have to play those guys now, certain of the BCS commissioners are seeing to it otherwise you become irrelevant to their leagues (Big Ten and Pac-10). Guess what happens then? Playoffs. So this awful travel y’all have endured once or twice? Not really a lifetime condition.
I don’t know, more bowls in more locales, the traditional bowls are losing their luster, soon a playoff will be concocted and it will be out of the SEC’s hands. There is one thing that scares BCS teams: equitable relationships in the media. That means losing their grip. Anyone who actually pays attention to Utah or Boise or Ball state, that’s what scares the BCS teams to death. It’s really funny to because Utah’s story is uniquely American but the BCS wants that story dead.
You said the SEC doesn't travel....
And you use the FSU game as your come back….what are we supposed to do? Schedule a upper north west team every year just to show the world we have what it takes? Thats assinine and you know it. Again why must we? And playing bowl games in Michigan? Who gives a flying #$? There is a reason why the major bowls are played in warm weather states. Cause you don’t want snow effecting the outcome of a major bowl. Sorry you guys had to do it for 50 years but that doesn’t mean we all have to.
And again play 40+ years of football in 100degree weather that feels like 110 and get back to me. I have personally played in both, and i would rather play in the snow….
I understand the rest of college football has a chip on their shoulder but i have yet to hear an answer from you or anyone else on why the SEC should travel to the far reaches of the earth. Teams like Utah, Boise, TCU and others like them HAVE to to impress voters, but sorry we don’t. I think having 3 teams from the SEC in the last 3 NCG’s is good enough.
When you are an Alabama fan you have to hate Auburn, I hate Tennessee because i want to.
Bottom Line?
FSU is good for SOS issues, absolutely. But it aint travel sickness inducing.
The point is simple: you can’t schedule FSU or Hawaii on a home and home and say that equates ot 100 years of football live don the dangeeous edge of playing in eveyrone’s backyard so the metric is simpler to apply.
Three teams in the BCS you mean, it’s a BCS championship: not a national one brother, and LSU wa snot deserving last year. Theylost two games ot half assed teams and played three absolute dogs out of conference. Who the hell voted for them to play a home game in a bolw for all the marbles? You’re making my point with that one.
Cheers mate, best of luck on next year’s schedule too, Saban’s a great coach, his recruting is fantastic. But you’re really asking for a semi-pro team, not a college football team that belongs to the students. NOt at 32 million to coach football—it’s an insane, out of control joke. A little team like Utah breaking the system is exactly what is needed.
Name one top 25 team Alabama played outside their conference?
Both teams would lose to Florida.
Both teams played 5 teams playing in bowls during the regular season. Lets look at the opponents in order of Sagaring rankings:
#1: Georgia 82.13 < TCU 86.86
#2: Clemson 81.02 < Oregon State 81.17
#3: Ole’ Miss 80.75 ~ BYU 80.76
For the top 3 Utah is clearly ahead in SOS. Utah had two close calls here, Alabama only one.
#4: LSU 75.26 > Air Force 74.63
#5: Kentucky 70.78 > Weber State (A serious FCS Playoff contender) 68.54
#6: Tennessee 70.36 > CSU 67.36
#7: Auburn 68.91 > Michigan 65.55
#8: Arkansas 68.54 > New Mexico 65.54
For the next 5 Alabama has the edge, but these games should all be won by both teams. CSU is going to a bowl, Tenessee is not. LSU went to overtime and Kentucky kept it close. Utah had close games with Air Force, Michigan and New Mexico.
#9: Mississippi State 62.84 < UNLV 64.72
#10: Arkansas State 61.59 > Utah State 61.06
#11: Tulane 52.41 < Wyoming 59.39
#12: W. Kentucky 50.48 < SDSU 55.50
Utah wins at the bottom, but none of these games were close. These games were forced on Utah by conference alignent. What is Alabama’s excuse? If thier goal was to soften thier SEC schedule to the strength of a MWC schedule they succeded.
With the fortune Utah had in their games vs TCU and Oregon State they could have beaten Georgia and Clemson. The SOS is a draw, but I must give Alabama the quality points for MOV in big games.
All that matters is Jan 2nd.
I hope Utah comes ready to play physical because I have a feeling that our defense will be very hungry. Good luck to you guys and I can’t wait to see a great game.
SEC
Yeah the SEC should travel to the north west and show that they “are the best.” You want to be the best YOU HAVE TO BEAT THE BEST! Also, for the SEC having the “best there is” how do you explain Tennessee going to UCLA this season and getting embarrassed on National Television. Yes it was a close game that came down to the wire, and yes Tennessee had a terrible season, but if the SEC is supposed to be the best there is, how do you explain that loss. Not to mention the fact of that is why you pansies down south won’t travel over here to play because you do not want to lose. That is why, not only this season, but the Big 12 is the toughest and best conference in the Nation right now.
All you Alabama fans out there keep preaching how Utah will not even stand a chance and that they have no playmakers. I can’t wait for this game to just see how Alabama comes up with an answer to block Paul Kruger, or Koa Misi. Not to mention Sean Smith and Brice McCain are two really good corners who can stay with Alabama’s receivers. Yes size does matter and they are a very physical football team, but speed kills everything. You give me a huge big offensive lineman vs. a quick fast elusive DE, that DE will more times than not get around that big guy.
This is exactly how big time teams like this get beat. All you fans and media covering that team sit and preach to them how wonderful they are and that the team they are playing doesn’t stand a chance. Just ask Oklahoma about that for the past two Fiesta Bowls. Utah has ALWAYS prepared very well for these big bowl games. Not to mention they have the best win loss record vs. top BCS conference schools. Which says alot for this team and this program.
That is exactly why the BCS is a joke. Because of you big time conferences who are up are your high horse thinking you own the world and so you come up with this absolutely terrible system that only allows your teams to succeed because you are to afraid to travel west or anywhere out of your little comfort area to play small schools. Teams like Utah, TCU, and Boise State should not have to achieve perfect seasons to have a chance to show what they have.
To answer your last statement...
Yes you should……Until your conference as a whole gets better on a consistent (i know the SEC is down this year and i have said that and already admitted to that) then your conference will get the benifit of the doubt. But until you guys get 4-5 teams in your conference that are always near or in the top 25 the mid majors will always be looked at as 2nd teir.
Also whats funny about that statement is EVERYONE nearly has to go undefeated to prove what they got…..LSU last year was an odd situation. I doubt you see that again…
You guys can go ahead and stop acting like “The world is against us”. After a while guys it just sounds like your whinning. And trust me there are a lot of people out there who would love to see you guys win. And the fact is, Utah as a team gets respect, just not your conference.
And come on man, in no where in any of post do i “diss” any of your players or the Utahs ability to win this game. The debate here is Utah being compared to Alabama….My point is sure you can do that THIS year but the SOS you guys love to use so much will be dramatically better for us next year. The SOS you guys have this year is about as strong as you can get. The only way i could see it getting stronger would be if Michigan had not sucked it up. But ours is about the same as Utahs and we have 4 of our 6 top teams took a dive. Just think if Auburn, UT, Clemson and LSU all went 7-5 or better…..Which pretty much always happens…We wouldn’t even be hearing talk about Alabama being compared to Utah…So before you start acting like Utah’s SoS is typically on the same line as Alabama or pretty much anyone in the SEC…..think again….
So you are also saying that SEC teams should play there regular 3-5 ranked teams in their conference and also step out and play other top 25 teams to prove what……USC has to do that cause the Pac 10 sucks…..Utah has to do that to get respect….SEC teams do it for one reason and one reason only….recruiting..oh and money helps…Im sorry if that sounds like cockiness but its true…..
Be proud of your team. You are the class of your conference and should be nothing but proud of what your team has done…..If you guys keep winning every year, eventually you will get the respect you feel you deserve.
When you are an Alabama fan you have to hate Auburn, I hate Tennessee because i want to.
He's saying several things . . .
Some I agree with, some I don’t.
Your teams might not be ranked as highly or at all if they traveled as much as everyone else does, and they played as many bowls in far flung places instead of at home.
I apologize for all Ute fans for any name calling like Pansy, I do not think Saban is afraid of anyone, but home cooking is famous in the SEC.
For years those teams were kind of less than enthralled, as was all big money college football ( SWC most corrupt ever), with an even playing field. So I think the idea that decades of corrupt greatness in a flawed system is to be delirious over is not a great position.
That siad, no question the SEC is a superior conference and no question Utah cannot bitch if they don’t pay in a conference as strong year in and year out.
There are a lot of...
…reasons SEC programs haven’t traveled as much as other conferences. Some of them practical and valid, some of them stupid and invalid. There have been times it’s been the faults of others (when Southern football was considered inferior and it took over a decade for a Southern team to get a Rose Bowl invitation and only then because other schools were rejecting the invitation) and times where it’s been their own fault (the insular nature of segregation era stuff.) Also, the founding of 12 team, split division conference in 92 made teams back off on their out of conference scheduling because everyone feared the extra game they’d be subject to. Some of it simply makes sense. The South is so densely packed with teams that you don’t have to travel far to find good competition out of your conference. In addition to the SEC, the bulk of the ACC is in the South as well as parts of the Big East (Louisville, USF). If some soft scheduling is going to be done, the C-USA and Sun Belt are here too. Heck, there’s even a WAC team in Louisiana! I wish we would do a bit more traveling, but it’s also a two way street. A lot of teams back down from scheduling SEC opponents. Ohio State broke off negotiations with Alabama recently and Notre Dame wouldn’t even sit down to discuss it with them. I believe Michigan also rejected Georgia’s invitation. I think also since so many of our bowl games match up against the Big 10 and the Big 12 that that also probably minimizes it some. Plus, these programs simply don’t want to give up the revenue that would be lost by having an away game when you could pack out your 90,000+ seat stadium regardless of who is in it and make a fortune. It’s funny, even though the fans want better games, it’s kind of their fault that bad games are scheduled because they’ll show up to watch ANYBODY. That being said, I think some reasons are valid and others not so much.
I can’t speak for other teams, but Alabama has done their fair share of traveling historically. Alabama now has what appears to be their yearly tradition of neutral site games (Clemson this year, FSU last year, VaTech next year…tOSU and ND wouldn’t negotiate further on this idea). Since 2000 we’ve also played UCLA and Oklahoma and have series lined up with Penn State, GaTech and away games to Duke and Tulane (which not a lot of BCS programs will do…travel to tiny and/or mid-major stadiums.) During the 80s/90s, we had a 10 game series with Penn State and a series with Notre Dame. The 90s also saw Bama play Memphis and SW Louisiana on the road (once again, not a lot of big name teams willing to do that.) In the 80s Bama had series with Boston College, Cincinnati, Notre Dame and a neutral site game with Ohio State. The 70s found Bama traveling to Nebraska, Notre Dame, USC, Missouri, TCU, Miami, Maryland, etc.
I will fully grant people Alabama’s mostly bad OOC scheduling during most of the 90s and a portion of this decade, but Saban is aiming to step it up. Historically, it’s been pretty strong and certainly not like Georgia not traveling west of the Mississippi since prohibition or whenever it was. An example of historically strong OOC scheduling: Alabama’s 1986 out of conference schedule was probably one of the toughest ever assembled: Penn State, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Temple (well, they’re not so brutal) and they came out of those games 3-1 (loss to PSU.)
No question
Thanks for your response.
Saban’s standards should not be compared to any historical trends, agreed entirely.
Alabama won championships prior to WWII didn’t they? I don’t think anyone ever looked down their nose at Southern Football, but there was a time, like now, when one conference dominated and that conference was the Big Ten.
If the SEC and other teams don’t think being slighted as a result was fair, then the SEC and other teams should change the perception and practices and go outside their home base like Alabama and FSU seem willing to do.
Kudos to your teams new coach and the fans for supporting the team so well.
Historically the MWC has been poor.
This year the MWC performed far and above its normal performace, resulting in three top 25 teams, a berth in the BCS and national attention.
I would argue that this year the MWC, unlike the PAC 10, perfromed at a level above the expected threshold for a BCS conference from top to bottom (See Wyoming). Unfortunately one year is not enough, and the prior two have been dissapointing. If the MWC has an encore ready for next year then the BCS automatic qualifications may be subject to question.
The MWC does not compare with the SEC. This is not questioned. Alabama got one of the lightest SEC schedules this year. It would be like Missouri boasting about a tough Big 12 schedule without Oklahoma, Texas Tech or Oklahoma State.
Utah played in a MWC conference that greatly exceeded all expectations and proved on the field that they were the top team. This is vastly different from Hawaii who won the WAC during a significant down turn of the conference.
Everytime I examine the numbers I get the same results:
Alabama is roughly 7 points better than Utah, Utah wins 2 out of 7.
I like our odds in a close game…
Utah by 5!!
to bammer
i can see what you’d like to say: “bama is the greatest even though bama lost to florida or still deserves bcsng”, “bama is so disappointed at playing with DAMN-NEVER-HEARD mid-major utah at the sugar bowl”, “comparing utah with bama is ridiculous because utah wouldn’t go 12-0 with bama’s schedule and conference”. hope you know how i feel now.
well, well, well… sec is one of the best college football conferences and bama is one of such great teams. i admit it, however who knows what happens in a sports game if you’re not a nostradamus?
what would you say if we beat your bama? would you come to this board and make some execuses? be polite until your bama proves what you’re saying…
unfortunately, your bama is not invincible at all. your sec is not that great this year. your bama schedule is not that scary at all. as people pointed out, i personally believe that your bama might be destroyed by usc at pasadena. of course, usc might tear us down at pasadena, too. my point is “see the game which will decide everything”.
To bcs_sux
You join this blog and you make one post….and this is the best you got?! Why do you keep calling it “my bama”? In my 27 years i have never heard or referred to my team as “My bama”. Thats just an odd use of the english language.
And would i come back here? Well my track record speaks for itself. So no need to comment on that.
As for me or any Bama fan being upset over playing Utah….well sure we are disappointed but not for the reason you say. We are upset because we were just a few plays away from playing in the Championship game, not because of who our next opponent is. Utah is a great team and I for one am looking forward to watching the game. That
DAMN-NEVER-HEARD mid-major utah at the sugar bowl",
You speak of has all the right to play in this game and Bama fans have every right to be “upset” at playing in the Sugar Bowl rather than for the CG. We are infact ecstatic to be even in a BCS game. No one would have thought we’d make it this far this season. So i guess playing Utah is bitter sweet. Just don’t think for one moment this team is taking Utah lightly. Perhaps some fans are but be ready for a battle come January 2nd.
When you are an Alabama fan you are expected to hate Auburn, I hate Tennessee because I want to.
Alabama answers
Look I agree with your saying of “speed kills” but Alabama does not run a shotgun spread offense that you need speed to get around the corners on. All our big linemen need to do is engage and drive the d-line into the stands. We do the occasional toss sweep, but most runs are between the tackles and speed does not help there. You got to realize that our o-line is not full of lard-butts that are only there cause they are big and can eat 10 whoppers at one sitting; 2 of them are on the All-American first team this year. Kruger and Misi weigh in less than 5 pounds more than our Tight End. And they give up 60 pounds to All-American Tackle Andre Smith, and 30 pounds to All-American Center Antoine Caldwell. I am not saying they will not be a factor, but you need to realize they have never faced anyone like these two.
Look at our schedule, who were the teams Bama had issues with? Big d-line teams like LSU. Their D-line: Jackson 290, Pittman 258, Alexander 310, Ricky Jean 289. Those are big boys, except the one and he did not do that great in the game. We had 138 rushing yards that game, but still managed 27 points. If Bama’s O-line can move the line forward its gonna be a long day for Utah’s defense.
Size-wise Utah matches up like Western Kentucky, although WKU is slightly bigger. I am not saying talent is equal but size is. Alabama had their way with WKU and ran for 281 yards. That’s not with Reggie Bush as a running back either, our backs have one move that they make: lower the shoulder and knock your teeth out.
Look I will be there at the Super Dome cheering for the Tide along with 60,000+ other Bama fans. Utah has earned that bowl game just as much as Bama has. SO show us some respect and bring a sack lunch; ya’ll gonna need it! Roll Tide!
Looking at NCAA stats...
I took the teams Alabama played closest to Utah and the teams Utah played closest to Alabama and examined the results of the games.
Rushing:
Utah 100-150
Alabama 150-175
Passing:
Utah 150-175
Alabama 125-150
Scoring:
Utah 17-30
Alabama 25-30
In games where Utah has played teams similar in offense to Alabama they have given up roughly 25 points, and have scored only 17 on defenses similar to Alabama.
When Alabama played offenses as productive as Utah they have given up 30 and have been able to score 30 on defenses as stiff as Utah’s.
Alabama will have an edge on the ground, Utah through the air. The biggest question is whether Utah will be able to run effectively on Alabama, especially on short down situations. Can Utah score in the Red Zone? That, and turnovers, are the key to the game.
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