BCS National Championship Preview & Prediction: Texas Vs. Alabama
Nick Saban Vs. Mack Brown and Other Key Match-ups
The #2 Texas Longhorns come into Pasadena to face the favored #1 Crimson Tide from Alabama led by running back and Heisman Candidate Mark Ingram. Both teams not only bring Heisman candidates into the game, but tough defense. Both teams are top 10 in the nation for least points allowed per game, yards allowed per game, interceptions, and are #1 and #2 in rushing yards allowed (Texas #1, Alabama #2).
Here are several important match-ups to watch:
Mark Ingram vs. Texas Rush Defense
Texas will need to bring their #1 ranked rushing defense along with them to stop Mark Ingram who has 1542 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns. The Longhorns have not allowed a single back 100 yards rushing in any of their 13 games this season. In 5 games, the opposition's leading rusher has failed to exceed 40 yards rushing. I would not expect any defense to shut down Ingram, but if there was a unit that could pull it off, it's Texas' rush defense. Ingram will break the 100 yard mark, but it will take a few screen passes to spread out the defense first. I like Ingram to win this battle with 120 yards and 2 TD's.
Winner: Mark Ingram
Colt McCoy vs. Alabama Secondary
Alabama will have to worry about the pass more than the run in this contest. Alabama has allowed the 6th least passing yards this season and have only given up 8 touchdowns through the air, good for 4th in the nation. After week 12, McCoy had 3328 yards passing (9th in FBS), and a 3-1 TD to interception ratio (27-9). Colt McCoy was bailed out in the Big 12 Championship game as he had a terrible performance with 3 interceptions and no touchdowns, going 20-36 for 184 yards. This will be a critical match-up, and may come down to the final drive, but I have to go with the Alabama secondary who has hauled in 20 interceptions this season.
Winner: Alabama Secondary
Special Teams Battle
When you have a battle between two teams with top 10 defenses, special teams often can decide the game. This match-up is heavily in Texas' favor. Texas wide receiver Jordan Shipley is one of the most dangerous return men in college football and averages 13.3 yards per punt return and has two touchdowns via punt return this year. Texas kicker Hunter Lawrence showed how clutch he could be by making a 46-yard field goal to put away Nebraska with no time left in the Big 12 Championship. Alabama kicker Leigh Tiffin failed an extra point attempt against Florida, which due to the score proved not to be a factor, but is still a mistake you cannot have in big games.
Winner: Texas Special Teams
Mack Brown vs. Nick Saban
This match-up could go either way depending at how you look at it. Both coaches have had success at multiple schools and have won a BCS National Championship. Speaking strictly on bowl games, you have to go with Mack Brown judging by his 11-5 bowl record including 5 straight bowl wins over the last 5 seasons. Saban has lost 3 of his last 4 bowl games, the only win in that period was in the 2007 Independence Bowl against a 6-6 Colorado team. Both are great coaches, but in a big bowl game, Brown is the Mack.
Winner: Mack Brown
Other Factors to Consider
Jim Rome Karma- Regardless of whether you believe in "Jungle Karma" or not, it seems to reign true more than not. Mack Brown has more "Jungle Karma" than any other coach in college football according to Van Smack himself. Mack was on the Jim Rome show the Thursday before the Nebraska game, and it looks like it paid off just enough.
Greg McElroy Undefeated- In Junior College and at Alabama, McElroy is undefeated as a starting quarterback.
Final Prediction: So I had five match-ups to watch, and Texas took three of them so that means that Texas will be my pick, right? Not so fast. The Longhorns inconsistency to run the ball will hurt them in the biggest game of the year. Alabama will play a Nebraska like game that almost sent Texas away without a chance at getting to the BCS title game. Texas leading rusher against the Cornhuskers had 36 yards, and the team as a whole had only 18 yards rushing. I don't expect Colt to have an equally awful game with 3 picks and no touchdowns, but he will have to have a near perfect game to keep it close against Alabama. I think the combination of Mark Ingram, and the Tides secondary will be just enough to get past Texas for the National Championship in a tight contest.
Prediction: Alabama 21 Texas 20
MVP: Mark Ingram 120 Yards rushing, 2 TD's, 3 catches for 40 yards
Published by Michael Luchies
Michael Luchies has a Bachelors of Science degree in Entrepreneurship from Badley University and is the current Manager of Membership Operations for the Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization. Michael was C... View profile
- College Bowl Predictions: BCS National Championship Game, Oklahoma Vs. FloridaA review of the BCS National Championship game between the Florida Gators and Oklahoma Sooners.
- 2009 BCS National Championship Game Finally ReadyAfter over a month, about 30 bowls, and more BCS rantings, the actual national championship game in college football is here tonight. Florida and Oklahoma will finally get to stake their claim to a national title toni...
- Budget Travel Tips for the BCS National Championship GameIf you want to go to the 2009 BCS college football national championship game in Miami between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and University of Florida Gators, be prepared to shell out some money.
2009 College Football Season Preview: BCS National Championship Contende...2009 College Football Season Preview: BCS National Championship Contenders - Rose Bowl. Florida is the Team to Beat. SEC West, Oklahoma, Texas, and USC will need perfect seasons...- Is Florida or Michigan More Worthy to Play Ohio State in the National Championship...The voters have decided -- it will be Florida, not Michigan, which will take on top-ranked Ohio State in college football's national championship game next month. But the debate likely will continue throughout the wi...
- 2008-2009 BCS National Championship Game
- 2009 BCS National Championship Preview: Florida Gators Vs. Oklahoma Sooners
- BCS National Championship Preview, Prediction: Tim Tebow Vs. Sam Bradford
- BCS National Championship Game Pits Florida vs. Oklahoma
- BCS National Championship Game: Florida (12-1) Vs. Oklahoma (12-1)
- BCS National Championship Game Preview - Florida Gators Will Run to Glory
- Tips for Traveling to the BCS National Championship Game
26 Comments
Post a CommentWell, I am a hard core Texas fan. I am rooting for Texas, I am from there, I have played there and I will die there. I think that we will diffently have our hands full. I think we can shut Ingram down, and let McCoy come out and play like I know he can. It will be a close game by any means, and will diffently be one for the books. I all boils down to who controls the line of scrimmage. Texas can control the Bama D-Line, then Texas WILL WIN this game.
You know what they say, family has to stick together. If aliens were to take over our planet, i'm sure we as humans would band together and fight. If it's anyone vs the USA of course we as Americans would band together and fight. And as a fellow Wildcat if it's anyone vs Kstate, of course, I'm rooting for kstate. So if it's anyone vs any one in the big 12....well you know who I'm rooting for. GO TEXAS!!!!
TEXAS wins by 2 touchdowns
wow. ha. hook em. haters will be hateers. its gonna be a good game stop criticizing. everyone has their bad games and mccoy is a great qb even though he has freakin one bad game. people get a life. i would like to see yall play each and every game perfect. GEEEZ grow up
alabama will beat texas by 2 touchdowns and a feild goal READ THAT TEXAS FANS
you know mr. texas fight, i'm going with inbread texas on this one. You are a jack_ _ _ I can't say it since i'm only 11. you're not only that, you're dumb! Everyone knows the SEC is the best confrence! And it has the best fans too. I'm an example of one. I hate Florida with all of my guts, but I rooted for em in the Sugar Bowl since they're in the SEC. plus, they took a pretty bad beating against Bama. Also Georgia. Georgia is the most cocky aerogant (sorry if I spelled that wrong mr. eduacated person)self centered team in the universe. Heck, they can't even spell dogs! (dawgs) But... I still rooted for them in their bowl since they are in the SEC. The SEC is the best conference and you know it!
I have to give my appreciation to OU fan for having the integrity to speak his mind honestly. I am not a typical Texas fan due to the fact that OU is my second favorite team and I LOVE the rivalry. Yes, The Big 12 and the SEC are the two toughest conferences. Who's the toughest? Who cares!? We all need the rivalry. Plus, there are always those teams that are given the opportunity to shock the nation, (ie. Cincinatti, Texas Tech) Its a shame that the BCS scoring system shuts them out like it does but lets face it... Your larger, wealthier universities are more likely to have better teams because they can recruit better players 90% of the time, so it makes sense to rank them higher througout the season, they are expected to have better teams. It is unfortunate and definitely not a perfect system, but its the best we have. I think McCoy won the lottery when they reviewed his final pass in the Nebraska game. Also, I was ashamed when he tried to make it sound like he "knew" he ha
The (Even though bama) comment was meant for the texas fight guest that posted his comment on 12/11/09 at 10:12:55 A.M. read his then read mine.
Even though Bama has had a couple of close ones, that doesn't mean that this one will be. Also, have you ever thought about this? Alabama killed Florida in a flawless victory, Florida sent Georgia back to High School, Georgia demolished
Texas A&M who almost beat Texas! And in the Texas Nebraska game, what did Colt McCoy throw for? Like 2 completions for negative 15 yards! Yeah! Sleep on that!
Being an OU fan, I have pretty much watched everyone BUT OU play because this has been the worst year for us. And because I have abandoned hope for the year I'm going to betray everything I stand for in this situation and agree on all counts that the SEC is and has been superior to the Big 12. I'm also going to completely betray the Sooners and say that honestly, UT should scare the crap out of anyone they play, regardless of conference. Let's face it, Texas is a machine. Somehow they find a way to win either with luck or skill, either way though a win is a win. This is definitely a matchup that I am looking forward too. I wish Alabama would stomp UT because I really do hate UT THAT MUCH!! However, Texas is scary because when an SEC (superior) team plays a team from the Big 12, it is usually obvious who would win but when you throw UT in there, things get cloudy. Though Alabama has a stellar defense (so does Texas, sorry Tide), Ingram-McElroy (Mccoy-Shipley), and the rushing stats that