• Have something to say? Register Now! and be posting in minutes!

I'm not getting all the blind love for Alabama by the pollsters

BamaDude

Well-Known Member
3,975
884
113
Joined
Aug 24, 2016
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Sure, I know the sportswriters & broadcasters tend to vote for the same 5 or 6 teams ad nauseum, but have they checked the facts?

Alabama may have been head & shoulders over every other college football team last year; but this season they are only maybe a half a head higher than the rest. And that's close enough to get knocked off at some point during the season - maybe even this coming Saturday.

Alabama is losing a QB that through for 4500 yards & 41 TDs a year ago, and a running back that over, around & through people for 26 more TDs on the ground. And even though Mac Jones became a season-long starter for the first time in 2020, he had been in the system for several years and knew his way around. Bryce Young is a first-year starter with only one year of mop-up duty, 156 yards & 1 passing TD to his credit. And even though he threw for 333 yards in the Spring Game, the first team offense that he was leading only managed to score one touchdown. He also lost a fumble that was recovered for a TD. Not a stellar performance!

Some of the backs & receivers were held out of the spring game, and others saw only limited action, but the running backs for both teams only accounted for 83 yards on 42 attempts, & each side had a trio of sacks. There still seems to be some problems on the offensive line jelling, and the QB's & receivers being on the same page; but the good news is that the defense looks like it may be killer.

Alabama has had 4 different QBs win the National Championship as a first-year starter under Nick Saban, and a first-year non-starter to come off the bench in the championship game to win another one, but all of those first-year starters had some decent time in the system as back-ups. A.J. McCarron is the only one to win an encore championship the next season. That's the only time a team has won back-to-back titles during Saban's stint at Alabama. After the title in 2009, Bama went 10-3 the next year. They followed up their 2011 title with another in 2012, but went 11-2 in 2013.

Bama followed up its 2015 championship with a runner-up finish in 2016, and did the same following their 2017 title, then missed the playoffs in 2019. No team has repeated as National Champions during the College Football Playoff era, but Alabama did make the finals for 4 consecutive years. The Crimson Tide definitely deserves to be a Top 5 team, but I just don't see the wisdom in picking them as a preseason #1.
 

podsox

Well-Known Member
22,161
2,781
293
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 200.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
So bet they under 11.5 wins?
 

Bedlam131

Boomer Sooner
4,657
1,913
173
Joined
Nov 29, 2017
Location
America
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Saban recruits and develops well. In recent years I have yet to see a bad or even average team. By all accounts they will have a very good defense, a very good O line. Plenty of buffer for the QB to get some experience. Mid season or before they will be rolling.
 

fredsdeadfriend

Well-Known Member
14,204
1,397
173
Joined
Dec 28, 2018
Location
Alexandria, MN
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,525.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Bama could lose a game and still get into the playoff and could still win the Title. Are you seeing more 1 game they are vulnerable in?
 

Neilcar

Active Member
464
63
28
Joined
Dec 12, 2018
Location
Austin
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I question Georgia being so high ... we will find out tomorrow ...
 

Montalban

Well-Known Member
30,251
4,926
293
Joined
Oct 28, 2014
Hoopla Cash
$ 925.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
America loves a winner and, say what you will about their program and the disgraceful behavior of their coach, but they win.
 

tabascojet

king of cake
48,313
9,216
533
Joined
Sep 1, 2011
Location
gotham by way of dixie
Hoopla Cash
$ 554,070.05
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Sure, I know the sportswriters & broadcasters tend to vote for the same 5 or 6 teams ad nauseum, but have they checked the facts?

Alabama may have been head & shoulders over every other college football team last year; but this season they are only maybe a half a head higher than the rest. And that's close enough to get knocked off at some point during the season - maybe even this coming Saturday.

Alabama is losing a QB that through for 4500 yards & 41 TDs a year ago, and a running back that over, around & through people for 26 more TDs on the ground. And even though Mac Jones became a season-long starter for the first time in 2020, he had been in the system for several years and knew his way around. Bryce Young is a first-year starter with only one year of mop-up duty, 156 yards & 1 passing TD to his credit. And even though he threw for 333 yards in the Spring Game, the first team offense that he was leading only managed to score one touchdown. He also lost a fumble that was recovered for a TD. Not a stellar performance!

Some of the backs & receivers were held out of the spring game, and others saw only limited action, but the running backs for both teams only accounted for 83 yards on 42 attempts, & each side had a trio of sacks. There still seems to be some problems on the offensive line jelling, and the QB's & receivers being on the same page; but the good news is that the defense looks like it may be killer.

Alabama has had 4 different QBs win the National Championship as a first-year starter under Nick Saban, and a first-year non-starter to come off the bench in the championship game to win another one, but all of those first-year starters had some decent time in the system as back-ups. A.J. McCarron is the only one to win an encore championship the next season. That's the only time a team has won back-to-back titles during Saban's stint at Alabama. After the title in 2009, Bama went 10-3 the next year. They followed up their 2011 title with another in 2012, but went 11-2 in 2013.

Bama followed up its 2015 championship with a runner-up finish in 2016, and did the same following their 2017 title, then missed the playoffs in 2019. No team has repeated as National Champions during the College Football Playoff era, but Alabama did make the finals for 4 consecutive years. The Crimson Tide definitely deserves to be a Top 5 team, but I just don't see the wisdom in picking them as a preseason #1.
Tldr....
 

SteelersPride

Well-Known Member
85,314
17,894
1,033
Joined
Aug 15, 2013
Location
Heinz Field
Hoopla Cash
$ 500.44
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Comedy Central Reaction GIF by Lights Out with David Spade
 

SignalBama

Well-Known Member
1,636
985
113
Joined
Oct 19, 2016
Hoopla Cash
$ 200.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Well, I think it is safe to say that so far Alabama has looked like the best team to play so far. Still a few games to go a couple big ones tonight.
 

LyquidMetal

Well-Known Member
443
636
93
Joined
Dec 4, 2018
Location
Renick, WV
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I can be as much of a BAMA homer as anybody, but all the talking heads and pollsters already getting ready to crown BAMA the champs kinda bothers me.
 

963BUSC

Well-Known Member
2,245
387
83
Joined
Jul 5, 2013
Location
Southern California
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I'm not sure on Bama but SC is ranked 14th in the USA today so either 15+ really suck or they currently have no idea how to rank teams.
 
Top