'Bama falls to # 4

'Bama can still play in national championship...

      Alabama didn't just lose on Saturday, they had their still beating hearts jerked from their chest. 2 yards isn't very far. The failure to make those 2 yards might come back to haunt Alabama for the remainder of the year. Then again, perhaps not. Maybe this will cause the team to understand that just walking on the field doesn't mean automatic victory. Who can blame them for feeling that way? Certainly not me. They have proven time and time to each of us it is more likely than not they can do just that. That was then and this is now... but some things need to happen again. It is deja vu all over again as they say.

Tide needs some help...

     Granted Alabama is going to need some help along the way. There are three undefeated teams before # 4 ranked 'Bama. Here is each teams remaining schedule:

• Oregon Ducks... The Ducks are a great football team on offense. The real question is what happens when they play a good defensive team? They have a home game with Stanford, and the Cardinal is not a pushover. Still, you have to I think like Oregon on this one. The Ducks then  then they travel to Corvallis to play arch-rival Oregon State. The Beavers are enjoying a good season. It would be a mild upset, but I think Oregon will win.

• Kansas State... You have to admire the watt Bill Synder coaches. He is quiet and unassuming. The Wildcats play at Baylor on the road, (no easy win) and then host Texas at home. Texas has really improved. They are now better than decent, verging on good. Baylor is always tough at home. I think the Wildcats, a program not used the national championship heat  might very well lose one of those games.

• Notre Dame... I'm not quite sure why Alabama fans hate the Irish so much. If you do I think you might be rewarded with a slip up by the Irish before season's end. They have beaten Oklahoma on the road. You know Oklahoma don't you - the team of "next year" but never this year. That is all they have done. That and beat a bunch of pretty sorry teams. They got a gift from the refs in the Stanford game, and almost got beat by Pitt.   After destroying Wake Forest the Irish then travel to Los Angeles to play Southern Cal. Mark this one down - USC will beat Notre Dame. The game will be season saver for the Trojans. And If we have to pull for Lane Kiffin I am willing to set aside my lack of respect for him for one game.

         Three games to keep in mind for all Tide fans. Notre Dame at Southern California, Texas at Kansas State, and Oregon at Oregon State. I wouldn't rule out Kansas State at Baylor. Those are the key games for Bama fans to look forward to pulling for an upset. Logic dictate that all the favorites will win. That doesn't always happen. Two of those occur and Alabama will play for the Crystal once again. If not, we know who we will play for a very short list. I hope we play Notre Dame for the national championship. We might play them somewhere else however. Let's hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

        The PAC  has a conference championship. It looks  like that might help, Alabama. We didn't  have to play in a conference championship game last season. Notre Dame doesn't have a league. They hardly have a real schedule in my opinion. Kansas State doesn't have to play in a conference championship game. Can a one loss team jump over an undefeated team. Under the current format the answer is yes. In reality, the rest of the nation will not let another one loss SEC team in the National Championship unless other possible teams have one loss anyway. There is an anti-SEC sentiment this year which has bordered on stupidity.

      The team I'd least like to play if we make it to the Championship game? Oregon. I'm tired of watching spread offenses. Also, those awful uniforms that gives new meaning to ugly are unbearable.  Give me Notre Dame as the team I'd like most off all. KSU is really pumped to play. I would be excited to play KSU if it was for the national championship, but otherwise I think the Tide would annihalate the Wildcats. One great thing about Nick Saban is that he has a way of getting his teams attention. Ask Michigan State. Or better yet, ask Auburn at the end of the Iron Bowl. Bottom line is this that Alabama still has a chance to play in the national title game. I'm not overly optimistic that it will happen two years in a row. But then...

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