TIDE'S VICTORY OVER MICHIGAN STATE JUST ANOTHER DAY AT THE OFFICE...       

          
     

Coker has proven his critics wrong

 Gene Stallings recently said that six or seven SEC teams could beat Michigan State. I'm not a football coach but except for TAM, I'd have to agree with his assessment if Coach was talking about the SEC West. That does nothing to diminish the power of the Alabama win over State. We have to understand the complete pounding inflicted by the Tide on the Spartans to put it all into perspective. The Selection Committee did their best job in putting together the Final Four teams. I'm not saying that Alabama made the Selection Committee look foolish, but rather, it was the absolute dominance of the Alabama football team. The Tide defense took the eleven offensive players of State and made them look like a second rate junior varsity team. It was a whipping of monumental proportions. 38-0 is one of those scores that indicate that Michigan State wasn't the fourth best team in the nation. Or perhaps it is one of those scores that indicate that Alabama is the best team in the NCAA by the widest of margins. I'd put my money on the widest of margin theory. I think that's where the smart money will find a home. If you believe that Alabama's defense was overwhelming, you've got to give some strong praise to an offense that scored 31 points. Even the Tide's special teams outscored the Spartans.

Clemson is excellent  

      None of this means that Clemson isn't a good team. They won the ACC Championship and then beat Oklahoma. They aren't chopped liver. They have a great quarterback and two excellent running backs who often play in tandem. I'm can't remember us playing a duel threat quarterback as good as Clemson's. Their defense is flat out tough. A lot of talk among the analysts is that this is the quarterback that will beat the Tide. I think those same analysts are going to understand soon that Alabama has re-tooled to beat those quarterbacks. I have no doubt their quarterback will get in his licks, however. He's a tremendous talent. Players of his caliber always make some plays. Clemson may pile up some yardage. They won't pile up enough to win in my opinion.

TIDE SEEMS TO BE READY FOR THE FINAL STEP

 

   I think that the Tide is on the cusp for #16. Who would have thought, with the quarterback issues the Alabama staff faced, that making it to the national championship game was a possibility? Not only did the did lose Blake Sims but they also saw their two top pass receivers go to the NFL. The offensive line had to find three new starters. The Tide staff and players fixed all those problems. 

        This year's team might be the most unlikely championship that Alabama has ever had a chance to win. My guess is that the Tide is going to win on the 11th. I could be wrong. Perhaps Clemson is a team looking destiny square in the eye. Alabama is just looking at the same thing that the Tigers see. The difference? Alabama doesn't need fate or destiny to carry the day. Alabama creates its own.  Bama by 14.