Game Thread 2015 Sugar Bowl: (1) Alabama vs. (4) Ohio State, Jan 1st @ 8:30p ET, ESPN (civilized thread)

[tidefan1]

Here's a good look at Joey Bosa:

Saw him on one of those award show
s. He's one ugly dude. Our RB Henry is fugly too. Not that it matters. Just an observation.

 

[kujirakira]

This is just a guess because I certainly do not claim to have watched every tOSU game this year. Tidefan1 hit it on the head. The QB was more apt to run under Barrett. You can't afford to lose #3. My guess is they(OSU coaches) will not let your QB run too much. It will be designed read option to the tail back and play action passes. My perception of your team with Barrett was very, very close to AU. Barrett being a better QB than AU's.

There's several reasons for that imo. The most important being that the game was well in hand and never really contested - no point risking injury. I think Meyer wanted to make sure tape showed Cardale is able to throw enough, take some pressure off Cardale while things are running smoothly. The designed runs they ran early didn't work very well (too horizontal and he doesn't have the speed or wiggle for that - not gonna beat guys to the edge). There was also Dunn returning from injury (I think he played some ST against scUM) - but may as well get all 3 of the RBs some carries and get out with minimal injuries.
I don't think they hold anything back for this game -- Cardale will run -- and they'll be working to either clean up read option execution or find something that does work. He's loved those QB draws in junk time all year.

That's why it will never go to 8. Not everyone deserves a trophy. If your conference isn't good and you are the champion of said conference why should you get a shot? Simply because that team is the champs of a dumpster fire? Plus, if it were to ever get to 8 teams, the play would be relegated to home turfs at school stadiums until it gets down to 4. The most it should ever get is maybe 6 with 1 and 2 getting a bye. No one wants this to be divisional play. The entire purpose to play the top two teams. Those can be clearly picked from 4. You think FSU is a top 2 team? No way. Not the way they played. Thats why they have turned down joining the SEC multiple times. If they stay there, they stand a good chance of being conference chanps year in and year out.

Current system already defies your contention, however. A #2 SEC team was going until they lost a second time. Sugar Bowl was lined up to be a rematch.

It'll go to 8 b/c
1. $$$
2. 5 Conference Champs guaranteed
3. ND can continue being a special snowflake w/o fear of not being a P5 champ
4. Higher chance for Mid Major champs

Finally, the expansion to 6 Committee Bowls wasn't coincidence. You need exactly 6 bowl sites for QFs and SFs.
ESPiN will use controversy every year to push to 8, and the fact that Conference Commissioners and ADs are already saying "we should go to 8"... even from the ACC who got its champ in... suggests that change is coming sooner rather than later.

Personally I'd prefer 4 w/the committee only allowed to choose Conference Champions (including Mid Majors - there'd eventually be a year with 2 P5 champs that have 3 or 4 losses and an undefeated or 1-loss Boise State/Marshall kind of team out there).
But that's not happening, 8 is inevitable.

 

[BUCKDUBBS007]

I am curious to know if any Bama fan anywhere actually considers the existence of a world where tOSU wins this game? Is it even a remote possibility in the back of anyone's mind, anywhere?

 

[Tlangs]

Our team is built more toward taking care of the big guys. It's the smaller, quicker QB that gives us fits. Mariota (sp?) comes to mind. Saban builds his defense around the LSU's and Georgia's of the world. Not the Oregonians. He seems to be able to scheme enough against the read option just enough to give us a fighting chance.

OSU's QB will threaten the edges all game long. It just may be Wilson or Marshall in the "wildcat". The best part about blowing out Wisconsin was not showing this package very much. I think we used the Wildcat once or twice but it was with Eze which I hadn't seen all year.

 

[tidefan1]

I am curious to know if any Bama fan anywhere actually considers the existence of a world where tOSU wins this game? Is it even a remote possibility in the back of anyone's mind, anywhere?

Oh you guys have a chance. History would say that Saban's record in championship games is 9-1 however. This is not a consolation game like previous Sugar Bowls vs. Utah and Oklahoma. We are not a team without flaws though.

 

[Telekinesis]

Oh you guys have a chance. History would say that Saban's record in championship games is 9-1 however. This is not a consolation game like previous Sugar Bowls vs. Utah and Oklahoma. We are not a team without flaws though.

 

[Coqui]

You are correct or close enough. I read the stats of Dak and their leading rusher averaging 3.5 together. The interesting stat of their rushing game is that Bama only allowed a total of 117 yards rushing between the two as well. Considering their offensive scheme, the pretty good defense.

Yeah, when I posted that, I meant only the QB should average that. I'm hoping Elliott will be able to rush for bigger averages, and I feel OSU would need him to have a bigger average (like 5-6 ypc at least) to be able to beat 'Bama.

 

[Gcashwell]

I am curious to know if any Bama fan anywhere actually considers the existence of a world where tOSU wins this game? Is it even a remote possibility in the back of anyone's mind, anywhere?

I think bama has a 60% chance of winning. I'm uncomfortable with the flaws in our defense. Most of the fans down here that are "normal" non message board type fans think bama should win a close one if they play a good game.

 

[Telekinesis]

Honestly, I have no idea what to think about this game. All I know is that I believe this team has the ability to be great. When they're hot, they're on fire. When they struggle, it's pretty ugly.

Regardless, I have some good bottles to crack open in either victory or defeat and I'm ready to watch two teams with excellent preparation slug it out. If we lose, I'll be here to congratulate Bama fans who have been respectful to us.

I kind of feel like it would be a miracle to be heading to a National Championship after the adversity that this team has faced all year, so I won't be hanging my head in shame if they fall short. They've put their hearts on the line every single week and fought against all odds to reach this game. This season will always be one worth remembering no matter what the outcome, but it has the potential to be incredibly special for us.

I'm just beyond ready for kickoff at this point. LETSSSSGOOOOO!

 

[beau]

Not that I necessarily disagree, how wide do you see the gap in experience between Blake and Cardale being?

Sims is a senior with two years of playing QB. This season he has started in all 13 of Ala's games. Jones is a sophomore with limited starts and less game experience. Both are great athletes but Sim's game experience, gives him the edge in my biased opinion. Sims in past games has gotten rattled on the road, AR and Ole Miss, both road games were his two worst starts. However, he looked pretty darn good in the SEC Championship in ATL which was a neutral site on paper but Alabama had the many fans at the game.

 

[beau]

I think bama has a 60% chance of winning. I'm uncomfortable with the flaws in our defense. Most of the fans down here that are "normal" non message board type fans think bama should win a close one if they play a good game.

I see a close game too. I think if both schools bring their A game, Ala wins by 6 or 7.

 

[beau]

I'm not saying that a feather will knock him over, I'm saying that given the fact he's a 6'5" 250 pound giant of a QB, he doesn't run people over quite the way outsiders may expect. A guy that size and without watching him you may expect him to be like a Tebow and just plow over people all the time, and he just doesn't do that. I too have seen every play and there have been a handful where he plows people over, but he's not going to have 5-10 runs where he bowls people over. Probably more like 1-3.

Sims doesn't run much but when he does, the kid can fly. This game being a playoff game, look for Sims to run more than in past games. He is also very very good at avoiding sacks with his quick feet. His weakness is that he makes bad throwing decisions at times.

 

[beau]

I am curious to know if any Bama fan anywhere actually considers the existence of a world where tOSU wins this game? Is it even a remote possibility in the back of anyone's mind, anywhere?

A few key turnovers and OSU wins. And Ala has been known to turn it over at terrible times all season. We lost to Ole Miss because of turnovers and nearly lost to LSU and AR for the same reason.

 

[BUCKDUBBS007]

A few key turnovers and OSU wins. And Ala has been known to turn it over at terrible times all season. We lost to Ole Miss because of turnovers and nearly lost to LSU and AR for the same reason.

I feel the same way about our new starter and that is understandable. In a game like this it most likely come down to the team that makes the fewest mistakes. And of course to throw in a Jon Madden, the team with the most points should win the game.

 

[beau]

There's several reasons for that imo. The most important being that the game was well in hand and never really contested - no point risking injury. I think Meyer wanted to make sure tape showed Cardale is able to throw enough, take some pressure off Cardale while things are running smoothly. The designed runs they ran early didn't work very well (too horizontal and he doesn't have the speed or wiggle for that - not gonna beat guys to the edge). There was also Dunn returning from injury (I think he played some ST against scUM) - but may as well get all 3 of the RBs some carries and get out with minimal injuries.
I don't think they hold anything back for this game -- Cardale will run -- and they'll be working to either clean up read option execution or find something that does work. He's loved those QB draws in junk time all year.

FSU is no daisy...I think they upset OR.


Current system already defies your contention, however. A #2 SEC team was going until they lost a second time. Sugar Bowl was lined up to be a rematch.

It'll go to 8 b/c
1. $$$
2. 5 Conference Champs guaranteed
3. ND can continue being a special snowflake w/o fear of not being a P5 champ
4. Higher chance for Mid Major champs

Finally, the expansion to 6 Committee Bowls wasn't coincidence. You need exactly 6 bowl sites for QFs and SFs.
ESPiN will use controversy every year to push to 8, and the fact that Conference Commissioners and ADs are already saying "we should go to 8"... even from the ACC who got its champ in... suggests that change is coming sooner rather than later.

Personally I'd prefer 4 w/the committee only allowed to choose Conference Champions (including Mid Majors - there'd eventually be a year with 2 P5 champs that have 3 or 4 losses and an undefeated or 1-loss Boise State/Marshall kind of team out there).
But that's not happening, 8 is inevitable.