No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 Alabama will meet on Jan. 7 at Met Life Stadium in what will likely be the most hyped national championship contest in recent memory, if not all time, as the Fighting Irish looks for its first national title since 1988. Nick Saban's Crimson Tide is seeking to repeat as champions while also trying to claim its third crown in the last four years. If Alabama can knock off Brian Kelly's team and accomplish that feat, Bama's stretch of championship success can only be termed as a dynasty.
I'm not quite sure, however, if Crimson Tide fans are able to think too far ahead to that title game, as many are still trying to collect themselves, and their hearts, following Saturday's pulsating and dramatic 32-28 victory by Alabama over Georgia in the Southeastern Conference title game. It is already being called the greatest game in the 20-year history of the SEC championship event.
It was a contest which tested every bit of mettle, character and heart of the Crimson Tide to get past Mark Richt's Bulldogs, a team loaded with talent and a squad that pushed Alabama to the final play of the game before the Crimson Tide and its supporterscould finally exhale and begin setting their collective sights on Notre Dame.
The Bulldogs, often criticized under Richt for being soft and falling short on the big stage, brought the challenge to the Tide from start to finish, and Saban was very generous and correct in pointing out after the game that it would be a crying shame if Georgia does not get a spot in a BCS game.
Both teams showed a tremendous amount of heart in this contest. and although it was not always well played, with both teams making numerous mistakes throughout, the momentum swings, the tense nature of the contest, the amount of big plays made by great players all over the Georgia Dome turf, and the sheer emotion and strategy of the contest made it an instant masterpiece.
The game also reflected why the SEC is still head and shoulders above every other conference right now, as the sheer intensity of the Bama/Georgia battle probably would have surpassed any national championship matchup. There is no doubt that the Alabama/Notre Dame contest will be considered a national title showdown for the ages, especially considering the tradition-rich history of both schools, but it is yet to be determined whether this game can possibly live up to the enormous levels of hype that will be seen and heard over the next month or so.
The SEC title game, however, lived up to the pre-game billing and then some as Georgia appeared to have the Crimson Tide on the ropes on numerous occasions. The Bulldogs seemingly played with a chip on their shoulders the entire contest, and landed enough key blows to knock out many lesser teams.
Overcoming adversity has become a trademark of Saban's Alabama teams, however, and that was definitely on display against the Bulldogs. The Crimson Tide struggled basically the entire first half on offense as quarterback A.J. McCarron struggled to find time to throw, and also to find open receivers, and the Bama coaching staff did not seem inclined to commit primarily to the running game although Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon were able to find a good degree of success in the early stages.
Much maligned Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray and tailback Todd Gurley, meanwhile, were able to find some early big plays, and were able to keep Alabama's defense on its heels for a good portion of the contest, even until the game's final stages. While the Bulldogs and Bama both put forth valiant efforts the whole way, Alabama hurt itself with tentative play and crucial missteps and really did not seem to find its identity and footing until the second half.
Of course the second half will long be remembered due to its big plays and seemingly continuous shifts in momentum, but the Crimson Tide did not really ever seem totally comfortable until it finally began slashing away at the Bulldog defense with the tandem of Lacy and Yeldon. Bama was able to wear down Georgia with its running game, and this opened up a few other things, such as the game-winning TD pass from McCarron to Amari Cooper.
There were a host of heroes on both sides in this physically grueling epic, and I am sure that the Alabama team will no doubt be happy to have a month's rest before encountering what is sure to be yet another bruising battle against the Fighting Irish.
So let the hype begin now regarding the battle between the Crimson Tide and Fighting Irish, a delicious matchup which is even more meaningful for older generation fans of the two schools who remember several classic past battles between the two schools. Notre Dame has pretty much owned the Crimson Tide, winning 5 of the 6 matchups between the two, although several of those games were classic nailbiters.
One thing is for certain regarding the BCS title game matchup. For the next month be prepared for a Notre Dame lovefest from the national media, which does not seem overly fond of Alabama football and definitely seems to have a general distaste for Saban. That same media, though, drools over leprechauns and clover at every opportunity. Hey, I love Rudy and the gold helmets as much as the next guy and I respect the Irish's tradition. The fact is, however, Notre Dame does not have any more of a football tradition than Alabama does, and to Lou Holtz's dismay, the Irish program had really not been relevant since the early 1990s until this season.
Still there is over a month to analyze what is certain to be an intriguing battle for the national title. But forgive Bama fans if they would like just a few more days to bask in the afterglow of 32-28.
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