The dynasty’s not over for the Alabama Crimson Tide.
At least not yet.
Everyone voices their opinion after spotlight losses, notably Colin Cowherd and AJ McCarron this week, but Nick Saban’s paid handsomely — a college football-leading $6.9 million this season — to make sure things don’t go South.
A disturbing trend for Alabama, however, is its recent ineptitude against ranked teams, beginning with the kick-six at Auburn followed by an embarrassing bowl loss to Oklahoma. Saban’s squad didn’t look prepared for that one and even worse, got torched by Bob Stoops, a coach who runs his mouth often about the SEC.
Loaded with talent on both sides of the football, it’s premature to dismiss Alabama as a College Football Playoff threat. This season has played out exactly like we expected following the weekend loss to Ole Miss, the Crimson Tide’s first true road game and hint of adversity this fall.
Saturday was the Rebels’ time and Hugh Freeze’s squad executed to near perfection down the stretch. Alabama needed a mistake-free game as a narrow favorite, but neglected to follow the small details necessary to win in the SEC.
That’s been the issue during Saban’s slide against quality competition, a faulty kicking game and a minus-4 turnover margin. At the moment, special teams play could keep an otherwise impressive team away from a meaningful games(s) after the regular season.
Alabama’s suffered five losses since the start of the 2011 season and in those defeats, the Crimson Tide have missed 11 field goals.
Of course, there’s still plenty to be thankful for in Tuscaloosa.
By SEC West standards, Alabama’s schedule is somewhat favorable the rest of the way in college football’s toughest division. The Crimson Tide get West frontrunner Mississippi State and Auburn at home and a road trip to LSU no longer looks as challenging as it did in August.
There’s the personnel advantage too.
Outside of the Iron Bowl matchup, Alabama’s depth exceeds the other elites and Burton Burns’ stable of running backs is comparable to any team’s group in the country. Blanketed on Saturday and held under 100 yards for the first time in his last six games, Amari Cooper’s more talented than any cornerback he’ll face over his team’s final seven contests and the Crimson Tide defense is the nation’s third-best at just 264.8 yards per game.
Before the Ole Miss game, Alabama looked the part as a SEC favorite, destroying Florida two weeks prior with a record-setting offensive explosion. Does a road loss to a now Top 10 team change that? It’s makes the road more challenging, but not impossible.
Alabama’s been there before while the Rebels — and remaining league unbeaten Mississippi State — hasn’t. Auburn’s the pivotal matchup, one that will decide where this season ends.
If you’re looking at a one-loss wild-card to reach the Playoff this fall, it’ll be Alabama if the Crimson Tide get it together in the kicking game.
