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BCS title game thread

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Dick Whitman, Jan 7, 2013.

  1. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    I know there's a bowl thread, but the crown jewel seems to deserve its own day-of-the-game thread.

    Thoughts and predictions?

    Alabama 31, Notre Dame 13

    It's hard to find an area in which Notre Dame has the advantage. I know that Alabama has some concern about both the Notre Dame tight end, and also the mobile quarterback after the A&M debacle. But that's a pretty thin reed to hang your hopes on if you're an Irish fan.
     
  2. BitterYoungMatador2

    BitterYoungMatador2 Well-Known Member

    Seeing how Pitt did so well against a 6-6 Ole Miss team Saturday, I can't see Notre Dame being within 17 points.

    Honestly, this game is Apple vs. Trump for me.
     
  3. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    I just have this strange feeling (based on zero logic) that Notre Dame is going to win...

    Notre Dame 24, Alabama 21.
     
  4. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    I'm at least glad that Florida got pounded in its bowl game, so we won't have to hear SEC fans droning on and on tonight about how the Gators should have been in the game instead of Notre Dame. Much harder for Oregon fans to make that case, since they had a common opponent (Stanford).
     
  5. Michael_ Gee

    Michael_ Gee Well-Known Member

    I don't see Notre Dame scoring enough points to win, but I don't see a blowout, either. Something along the 24-10 line seems right -- or even duller than last year's game.
     
  6. nmmetsfan

    nmmetsfan Active Member

    This game reminds me of the Alabama-Miami Sugar Bowl back in the early 90s when nobody gave Bama a shot to win because Miami was too talented. I'll take the Irish.
     
  7. Armchair_QB

    Armchair_QB Well-Known Member

    It's got the same feel to me too.
     
  8. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    This isn't the first place I've seen this line of reasoning this week. But for every Alabama-Miami or Ohio State-Miami, there's a Florida State-Virginia Tech or USC-Oklahoma that played out largely as we anticipated.

    I wonder how often, in general, double-digit underdogs in college football win the game outright. I'm sure that stat is out there somewhere.

    But to your point, the Notre Dame-Florida Sugar Bowl in the early 1990s is the comparison to me, if you're inclined to cast your lot with Notre Dame tonight. That was Jerome Bettis's team, and it was one of those years when Notre Dame didn't seem to deserve the bowl berth they were granted. And it beat the tar out of its SEC opponent.
     
  9. nmmetsfan

    nmmetsfan Active Member

    The only difference is those Virginia Tech and Oklahoma teams were outclassed on the defensive side of the ball. I don't see that happening against this year's Irish D. The only way Bama puts up 30 is if they generate turnovers (which wouldn't exactly be a surprise).
     
  10. Songbird

    Songbird Well-Known Member

    Notre Dame 21, Alabama 14 to cap a storybook season.
     
  11. JackReacher

    JackReacher Well-Known Member

    Sweet. Thanks!

    [takes Alabama]
     
  12. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    There are a couple reasons I think Alabama will put up 30-plus points tonight:

    (1) Their special teams. Alabama has an enormous advantage tonight in special teams play, and that will lead to favorable field position much of the night. I wouldn't be surprised at all if they ran back one, maybe two kicks for scores. Which is a worst-case scenario for Notre Dame, obviously.

    (2) Their ability to run the ball within a high-tempo offense. Notre Dame's defense is solid, no doubt. But it has been particularly stout in the red zone. And it has probably played over its head in goal-to-go situations, especially. I think that, because Lacy and Yeldon are both so effective, running behind probably the best offensive line in college football, Notre Dame regresses quite violently to the mean tonight in red zone situations.
     
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