This year’s championship match-up will feature two undefeated teams that boast some of the largest followings throughout the country.
The Alabama Crimson Tide is a four-point favorite for the game, but, if you ask any Crimson Tide fan, they will tell you that Alabama should cover that spread, plus a touchdown or two.
Even though Alabama is considered the favorite and the SEC is considered the toughest conference in the NCAA, history isn’t really on Alabama’s side for this game.
Alabama is 0-7-1 all-time versus Texas.
Going by this season’s bowl outcomes, it looks like the SEC may not have been as tough as we first thought.
Currently, the SEC is 5-4 for this bowl season with Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, and Arkansas picking up wins, while LSU, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Tennessee took losses.
The Big 12, Texas’ conference, is 4-3 in bowl games this year, with eight teams making appearances.
So, it is safe to say that both teams have faced stringent competition this season.
Texas boasts a highly touted defense that is ranked in the top three or four in the country in a few categories, while Alabama’s defense, across the board, may be the best in all the land.
Alabama has a Heisman Trophy winner in runningback Mark Ingram while Texas has had a solid Heisman candidate for the past two seasons in quarterback Colt McCoy.
Texas’ defensive coordinator and head coach in waiting Will Muschamp got his start under Alabama head coach Nick Saban while he was at LSU.
There are other similarities and strengths of these teams that could make this game an even match-up, much to the chagrin to the Tide faithful.
With that being said, it is my personal belief that Alabama will win by double digits.
Perhaps that is my Crimson Tide biased opinion, but I think the running game will be too powerful for Texas to stop and I think Alabama’s defense will be too tough for Colt McCoy to have much success.
Win or lose, I am willing to bet that there will be a lot of Tide fans throughout the state that will not be at work on Friday because of celebration or mourning.
Hopefully, my prediction will come true, and I, along with the millions of Tide fans around the country will wake on Friday with smiles on our faces.
