One Six Short
Anyway you cut it, the University of Alabama came up one six short in their 22-15 Iron Bowl loss to intrastate archrival Auburn on Saturday. The missing touchdown came in their opening drive which started with a bang but ended in a whimper with a feeble field goal after the Tide failed to find pay dirt on 1st and goal from the three. Add a six there, plus a couple of PAT kicks rather than two failed two-point attempts, and we’re basically even.
At 6-6 on the season, Alabama finished one six short of the Mark of the Beast. Considering the way the Tide was bedeviled inside the red zone this year, an extra six there would have probably produced little more than an “it figures” shrug from the average downcast and in-the-dumps Alabama fan.
A little perspective is in order though; there are more weighty matters in the world to worry about this morning, plus I’ve been known to have a few 6-6 days as well. I’m just glad there aren’t a legion of beer-swilling bubbas hovering around my office ready to can me every time I mess up an eyeglasses prescription.
Oh wait, my bad–I know just how Mike Shula feels.
And here’s another thing: even if you don’t get the storybook ending you want, being there still beats watching the game on a big-screen TV. Just ask Number One Son, who while being a little down-in-the-mouth following the disappointing loss, still enthused over the pageantry and fervor of Alabama-Auburn game day when he returned home yesterday. Being there will be a memory that he’ll cherish the rest of his life. As to whether he’ll “be there” again as a student remains to be seen.
What I really hope is that someday soon, Alabama and Auburn will both be undefeated heading into the Iron Bowl so that all eyes will turn south the way they did toward Columbus on Saturday for the shootout between Michigan and Ohio State. That one lived up to its billing, and if Notre Dame can knock off USC next week, there would still be a small chance of either the Irish or the winner of the S.E.C. championship game winner (hopefully Arkansas after beating LSU in their regular season finale and then Florida) meeting the Buckeyes for a national title. Considering both my now out-of-the-closet proclivity for the Irish and my history of temporary resident status in the great state of Arkansas for four and a half years, there is till much to cheer for.
It looks like I’ll have to shelve the “Roll Tide” cheer for a while (unless the Crimson cagers have a break-out year), but I have other hats in my closet that I can don for the remainder of the college football season.
Fight on, Old Notre Dame! Sooey Pig!
8 Comments
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Donna
Fair weather?
I would hate to have my every decision scrutinzed like the good looking Mike…..but then he does get paid the big bucks….
Roll Tide…keep your Hogs and your Irish…..We will get ’em next year!!
Mike the Eyeguy
Desperate times call for desperate measures (i.e., diversification).
As for Shula, “handsome is as handsome does.”
GREG
I’ve been saying for weeks Alabama would win this game. I’m still a little surprised they didn’t.
Hogs didn’t have their best game but got it done. I’m hoping they can get it done this week against LSU. This is probably their toughest game since USC. But it depends on how LSU plays. If they play like they did against Auburn & Florida, we win. Then again, if we play like we did against Vanderbilt & MSU, we lose. Should be a good one, though. They always play well in Little Rock. Nutt’s only lost once in Little Rock.
OSU/Michigan was a great game. I actually had two TV’s in my living room, watching it and the iron bowl. I’d already informed my wife that from 2:30 until 5-5:30, I would be “busy”. I was kind of pulling for Michigan, so neither game turned out like I wanted. I still don’t want to see an OSU/Mich rematch, though. But if USC wins out (and I thought Cal had the best shot at beating them), then I think they jump Michigan. SEC would have to have USC & Notre Dame lose, plus jump Michigan. If Florida wins out, they might jump Michigan, but I’m not certain. If Arkansas wins out, they’d have added two good wins – LSU & Florida – but I’m not sure that would jump Michigan, either, considering they’re further down. I figure it will be OSU vs either Michigan or USC.
Mike the Eyeguy
Greg, I’m impressed by your “BCS” computer-like brain. I just can’t keep it all straight.
I think we would have won had we scored a TD on that first possession. Then we would mostly likely have had 3 PAT kicks, giving us 21 and Tuberville would have gone for the tie rather than going for two. At 21-21, we would have been kicking a field goal on 4th down late in the 4th quarter and Christenson nails it.
Not too far flung a scenario, but we blinked at 4th and one and that set the tone of our little Greek tragedy writ large across the field of Bryant-Denny.
GREG
Yeah, I thought Shula’s going for two at 14-9 was both unnecessary and maybe a little foolish. I was sitting there asking: Why?? But, in the end, I’m not sure it really hurt them after they failed to score a TD on that first drive. They’d still have been behind 21-17 (instead of 22-15) at the end, and needed a TD. But I think you’re right – a TD to start off might have changed the game for them, given them a little more momentum.
Jeff Slater
On Mike & Mike, they broke down the BCS. Basically, if USC wins out, they will play Ohio State for the title. But if Notre Dame beats USC, there will very likely be a Michigan/Ohio State rematch.
GO BLUE!!!
I admit I am somewhat biased, but I believe that Michigan and Ohio State are head and shoulders above everyone else. A rematch for the title would be a disappointment for the rest of the country, but I think it’s warranted in this case.
Mike the Eyeguy
Greg, I think Shula has felt the heat from those who label him as “too conservative.” Still, it seems like going for it on the first drive would have been the best gamble. Even if they would have failed, Auburn would have been pinned deep and then maybe we could have gotten the ball back with a short field.
Jeff, it does look like it’s going to go well for the Rust Belt this year.
GREG
I agree with Jeff. I only see two possible scenarios – OSU vs USC or OSU vs Michigan.
Florida and Arkansas – despite what some talking heads say about “1-loss SEC teams – how do you keep them out?” – I just don’t think I could see them as more deserving than Michigan, or USC if they win out.
Notre Dame – no offense, Mike 🙂 but why are they even in the discussion?? They haven’t beaten anyone all year. Anyone. And even if they beat USC, can anyone honestly vote them ahead of Michigan after what we saw in South Bend earlier this year? Here’s why they’re in the discussion: they are Notre Dame. That’s all they’ve done this year – be Notre Dame.
USC – if they win out, it’s hard to keep them out IMO despite the loss to the Beavers and even considering Michigan’s performance Saturday. They would have beaten two current top 5 teams (Arkansas, Notre Dame) as well as Cal, and that’s pretty good on the resume. And, I think they’re clearly the 3rd best team behind OSU & Michigan, and they might possibly even be on par with those two (although I don’t quite think so). And Michigan has already had a shot at OSU.
Michigan – well, I’ve been preaching for the last few weeks that I DO NOT want to see a rematch of Michigan and OSU. I still don’t want to, but after Saturday, I’m willing to accept it, because that was a great game and I do believe they are likely deserving of #1 and #2. On a neutral field, who knows who would have won Saturday. However, “rematches” often never live up to the first one. The “rematch” is rarely as good of a game.
Since I’m tired of seeing USC playing for the title, I’m actually leaning towards changing my mind since I see no other possibility besides Michgian or USC. We really need a playoff.