Sugar Bowl: Utah 31, Alabama 17 (Final)

[jwinslow]

 

[lvbuckeye]

Is football big in Samoa?

no, the people are. :p

 

[Nutriaitch]

LSU sucked because they didn't have a QB not because their D didnt have athletes.

Did you watch our defense this year?

Yeah we had athletes, but they played like shit most of the season.

 

[jwinslow]

Been wondering when you'd show... Nutri. What's your reaction to this humbling of Saban? Somehow I'm guessing you aren't disappointed to miss out on an S-E-C chant....

 

[Nutriaitch]

BTW this shouldn't come as a huge shock to anyone.

• Saban has a career losing record in Bowl games (never won one before coming to LSU)
• His teams are notorious for playing to the level of his competition
• once a title shot is off the line, his teams tank the rest of the way (see: cotton Bowl after '02 season, most of '04 season at LSU, 2nd half of last year for Bama, etc. etc.)

I wasn't confident enough to predict a loss for Bama, but I've told all my co-workers not to be surprised if it happened.

 

[Basebuck]

You are right. MWC teams don't tackle or hit at all. They just let the other team run on by them and score TDs all day long. The difference between the way a MWC team hits and a ACC team hits is not that big of a difference, and unless you've played against both personally, I don't see how you can say different. All Div1A football players hit hard. You act as those the MWC defenses have weak guy on them or something. I'd rather not get hit by them all game long. Going thru ANY D1A schedule without losing is tough in itself.

The smaller conferences have shown that they aren't that far behind the bigger conferences. Have you watched TCU? They hit pretty damn hard! Ask Oklahoma if they hit...considering they never scored less in a game than they did against TCU.

I just don't buy the argument. You are either good...or you aren't. Utah is good. They didn't lose. What more do they have to prove? The SEC isn't as tough this year as they usually are. The MWC was MUCH tougher than a mid major has been in a long time. But people can't get past previous biases.

My point was not that the top tier MWC teams aren't as good as anyone. My point was that the bottom three or four teams arent at the same level as BCS conferences.
I just don't see San Diego St., Wyoming, or New Mexico bringing what BCS teams would. Could be wrong but I just don't see the same level of athlete

 

[lvbuckeye]

Why? Only playing 3 or 4 games a year where there a reasonable chance of defeat vs. 9 or 10 is a big difference.

8 or 9? in what conference? not the Pac Ten. not the Big Ten. maybe the ACC, because they had quality depth this year, if not any single dominant team. the SEC? really? seems kinda stupid to argue the SEC considering what Utah just did head to head. the Big XII? er, how're those defenses holding up?

 

[milkman21]

BTW this shouldn't come as a huge shock to anyone.

• Saban has a career losing record in Bowl games (never won one before coming to LSU)
• His teams are notorious for playing to the level of his competition
• once a title shot is off the line, his teams tank the rest of the way (see: cotton Bowl after '02 season, most of '04 season at LSU, 2nd half of last year for Bama, etc. etc.)

I wasn't confident enough to predict a loss for Bama, but I've told all my co-workers not to be surprised if it happened.

I appreciate that perspective, but I see it this way.

He had a young team this year, and not much depth. While running through the season on the excitement of being undefeated (before Florida), I can see how they got to the point that they did.

Likewise, with the loss to Florida (and the bursting of the bubble), it's easy to see how a team like that might fold.

And don't get me wrong, I don't think that Alabama really "folded" here as much as they ran into a damn good team that was 100% ready to play. I think Utah played one hell of a game, and they came out of the gates with an incredible gameplan paired with tremendous execution.

Basically, I think Saban is a very good coach, and I think that Bama will be a force as long as he's there. I don't put this loss on him.

 

[Nutriaitch]

Been wondering when you'd show... Nutri. What's your reaction to this humbling of Saban? Somehow I'm guessing you aren't disappointed to miss out on an S-E-C chant....

I love it.
It may actually quiet some of these Bama fans for an hour or so (but I seriously doubt that).

Yeah a loss makes the SEC look bad, but we compete with Bama for too many athletes for me to shed any tears over them losing. I don't want them rednecks to have anything to puff out their chests about.
Great season, but they just got bitch slapped by a mid major on National TV and I think it's fucking hilarious.

 

[Nutriaitch]

I appreciate that perspective, but I see it this way.

He had a young team this year, and not much depth. While running through the season on the excitement of being undefeated (before Florida), I can see how they got to the point that they did.

Likewise, with the loss to Florida (and the bursting of the bubble), it's easy to see how a team like that might fold.

And don't get me wrong, I don't think that Alabama really "folded" here as much as they ran into a damn good team that was 100% ready to play. I think Utah played one hell of a game, and they came out of the gates with an incredible gameplan paired with tremendous execution.

Basically, I think Saban is a very good coach, and I think that Bama will be a force as long as he's there. I don't put this loss on him.

Saban is a good coach and a great recruiter, but it's a trend that has followed him his entire career.

I've been saying Bama was over rated this year for quite some time.
I've never felt like they were a top 5 team.
Tulane of all teams dominated Bama at Bama in every single stat but the scoreboard (needed 2 special team TDs to win 20-6) after spending that whole week in a hotel while evacuating from the hurricane.
LSU had possibly the worst single game by any QB in Tiger history, yet still took Bama into OT (where our QB continued his mastery of the art of interceptions).
Kentucky and Ole Miss took them to the wire.

 

[Basebuck]

8 or 9? in what conference? not the Pac Ten. not the Big Ten. maybe the ACC, because they had quality depth this year, if not any single dominant team. the SEC? really? seems kinda stupid to argue the SEC considering what Utah just did head to head. the Big XII? er, how're those defenses holding up?

OK, 8,9, or 10 is excessive. Anyone in college football would have had a chance of getting beat vs.

1. Miami
2. Ole Miss
3. LSU
4. Georgia
5. Florida State
6. Bama

Each of these teams is loaded with talent.

Utah played 3 games that the teams had equal to or talent aproaching their own.

1. Oregon State
2. BYU
3. TCU

I agree that these three wins were impressive but I just don't see how you can argue that having 6 weeks where you have to bring your 'A' game is equal to '3'.

 

[23Skidoo]

OK, 8,9, or 10 is excessive. Anyone in college football would have had a chance of getting beat vs.

1. Miami

I stopped reading here.

 

[Gatorubet]

I stopped reading here.

I bet you win all your debates.

 

[JXC]

My point was not that the top tier MWC teams aren't as good as anyone. My point was that the bottom three or four teams arent at the same level as BCS conferences.
I just don't see San Diego St., Wyoming, or New Mexico bringing what BCS teams would. Could be wrong but I just don't see the same level of athlete

Let's throw UNLV in there too, since they were also 2-6 in the MWC. So you have the four worst teams in the MWC, all going either 2-6 or 1-7 in the conference.

These four teams went 4-1 against the BCS. Here is how they did:

Texas A&M L 22-28 (New Mexico)
Arizona W 36-28 (New Mexico)
Tennessee W 13-7 (Wyoming)
Arizona State W 23-20 (UNLV)
Iowa State W 34-31 (UNLV)

So ummmm...they obviously brought what BCS teams would bring those days. The fact that the CRAPPIEST teams in the MWC beat 4 out of these 5 BCS teams (some of which ARENT BCS bottom feeders) says enough to me right there.


Seems to me that the bottom 4 teams in the MWC are as good as the bottom teams in the Big 12, PAC 10 and SEC...

But I guess head to head matchups don't mean much.

 

[jwinslow]

[FONT=arial,helvetica] Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts in the third quarter while taking on the Utah Utes during the 75th Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome on January 2, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) [/FONT]

[FONT=arial,helvetica] A general view during the national anthem before the Alabama Crimson Tide takes on the Utah Utes during the 75th Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome on January 2, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) [/FONT]

[FONT=arial,helvetica] Wide receiver Freddie Brown #88 of the Utah Utes runs after a catch against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the third quarter during the 75th Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome on January 2, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

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[FONT=arial,helvetica] Wide receiver David Reed #16 of the Utah Utes runs after a catch against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the third quarter during the 75th Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome on January 2, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

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[FONT=arial,helvetica] Quarterback John Parker Wilson #14 of the Alabama Crimson Tide looks to avoid a tackle by linebacker Stevenson Sylvester #10 of the Utah Utes in the second half during the 75th Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome on January 2, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

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[FONT=arial,helvetica] Quarterback John Parker Wilson #14 of the Alabama Crimson Tide looks to avoid a tackle by linebacker Stevenson Sylvester #10 of the Utah Utes in the second half during the 75th Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome on January 2, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

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[FONT=arial,helvetica] Quarterback John Parker Wilson #14 of the Alabama Crimson Tide is sacked by defensive lineman Koa Misi #41 of the Utah Utes in the second half during the 75th Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome on January 2, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

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[FONT=arial,helvetica] Kick returner R.J. Rice #3 of the Utah Utes is tackled by Eryk Anders #32 and Marquis Johnson #24 of the Alabama Crimson Tide in the first half during the 75th Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome on January 2, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

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[FONT=arial,helvetica] Alabama punt returner Javier Arenas (28) breaks free from Utah's Louie Sakoda (35) in the first half of their NCAA football game in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Friday, Jan. 2, 2009. Watching the play from the sideline is Alabama coach Nick Saban. Arenas ran 73-yards for the touchdown on the punt return. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) [/FONT]