A look ahead Part I

Given the way Coach Nick likes to do things you’d expect that he’d just plain hate this, but I think Coach Nick’s got a secret weapon – the open dates. Oh yes, he will be using the US vs Them of the open dates as a motivational tool. Let’s face it if Alabama can take out six consecutive SEC opponents who are idle the week before they meet, it will be quite a feat and I rhymed too.

OK here we go – San Jose State on paper this should not be much of a game, shoot on the field this should not be much of a game. This will likely be one of the few pay-per-view games the Tide will play this year. These guys aren’t a good WAC team. I mean they didn’t have much of a rushing game just over 70 yards per game. So you are saying, yeah it’s the WAC so they can throw the ball. Uh, well no, they don’t actually seem to be able to do that either, we are looking at a 207 yards per game average. The good news is they can’t stop the run so this puppy should be over by halftime. Look for the Tide to show absolutely nothing new while they dispatch the Spartans in what will likely be a very lackluster performance.

Alabama 35 San Jose State 10

Penn State – Alabama vs Penn State is a series that should be an annual event. I remember we played them several times in the 80s and 90s and they were all great games. These are both very tradition rich schools that LOVE their football. I’ve seen Penn State students wearing t-shirts that said “Our Drinking Team has a Football Problem.” A shirt you won’t see sold at the bookstores in Tuscaloosa, but you gotta love it. Well, some of you might not love it, but I think it’s a hoot and I was on campus for a game and these folks rival LSU for partying. This might be one of the, if not the, toughest game we play all year. There will be a whole lot more offense, on both sides, than most people imagine. I look for it to be close, scary close, early on. However, the Tide will pull away when the running game gets untracked in the second half.

Alabama 28 Penn State 20

Duke – David Cutcliffe should never have been fired at Ole Miss, I just wanted to go on record as saying that. The Blue Devils were 5-7 last year and they played Va Tech close; then they lost to North Carolina and the wheels came off. This is a basketball school. It’s what they care about – see Kentucky in the SEC. Yup, Cutcliffe just might get these guys to a bowl in the next couple of years. Shoot there’s like 31 of ‘em, I mean UK has gone to 4 bowls in a row. The admissions policy can’t be that much of an issue – see Duke’s basketball success. Again, this is a basketball school. If Cutcliffe can win 7 games and get to a bowl he’ll be a hero and let’s face it if he does that he’ll be gone. This one will be close in the first quarter – sorry this ain’t Mike Shula’s Crimson Tide – it St. Nick’s.

Alabama 42 – Duke 10

Arkansas – The Hogs are the sexy pick in the SEC this year. Ryan Mallett is the Jevon Snead of 2010. He’s the guy who’s going to set the world on fire. He can run Bobby Petrino’s offense and this will be Louisville II. Oh, wait they were in C-USA and then the Big East. Oh I think the competition might be different. Nah, what was I thinking. Shoot they went to the Liberty Bowl last year. Actually, I kinda like the Hogs, I have good friends in Arkansas but . . . . Ryan Mallett will set the world on fire and he will set a bunch of records and those ESPN guys will just be going gaga over all the points that they will roll up on Tennessee Tech and LA Monroe. The train might wreck in Athens, but I doubt it. Anyway Bama should roll, har, har, into Fayetteville with a 3-0 record. For all that silly talk about ditching Arkansas and adding, I don’t know who, Florida State, please – don’t you guys remember that FSU had a chance to come into the SEC and chose the ACC – duh, because they could win lots of game and they did for a while, but I digress. Where was I, oh yeah, I think Alabama vs Arkansas has turned into a very nice rivalry. The winner of this game generally has a good season. So, how do I see this – like last year’s, except in Fayetteville. Bama just has too much defense for the Hogs. Mallett will challenge the new defense backs. However, the Hogs will not be able to handle Bama’s front seven. This game will be closer than we want it to be.

Alabama 27 – Arkansas 20

Roll Tide

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