By Shane from Centerpoint
I saw the best team in the country play football Saturday, and it wasn’t playing in Austin, TX or Gainesville, FL. Urban Meyer and his Florida Gators struggled at home to beat a very average Tennessee Vol team and Texas still hasn’t played anybody yet. Before you throw it out there, no, I don’t think beating a rebuilding and unranked Texas Tech team at home is very impressive. However, the Alabama Crimson Tide started the season by hammering the 7th ranked team in the country. In the two ensuing tune-up games Alabama’s looked the part of a champion, scoring 93 points to the opposition’s 21. Through the first three games Alabama’s execution (on both sides of the ball) is sharper than the Longhorn’s or the Gator’s. Bama also appears to have the most talent on defense.
Prior to Saturday’s kickoff, most people believed that Urban Meyer’s offense was an unstoppable juggernaut. After watching their game against Tennessee closely, I see that Florida has an Achilles heel on offense – they are very deficient in their outside game. Florida also doesn’t seem to have its normal level of talent at the wide–receiver position.
Actually, Tennessee’s Monte Kiffin developed a blueprint before and during the game that other defensive coaches will use to slow the Gators down.
With a solid quarterback the Vols might’ve even won. I could end up being wrong, but I don’t think this year’s version of the “Fighting Tebows†is going to be as dominant as the Florida team of last year.
One other thing I noticed about the Gators’ defense while watching their game against Tennessee – they had a hard time stopping the run. If they don’t get that corrected it could hurt them later during the SEC wars.
Mack Brown’s Texas team is loaded with talent and will probably win the Big 12 this year. However, it won’t mean much since the opposition they‘ll have to beat to win the championship is mediocre at best.
As I watched them play last Saturday night I tried to gage the Longhorn’s talent. I was amazed how much faster SEC linemen are than the type of interior players that Texas had on the field. Nothing would convince me that Texas could beat Alabama or Florida along either side of the line of scrimmage.
Besides, Texas has an easy schedule. The only supposed challenge down the road that Texas has to face is Oklahoma. After the Sooners got slammed by BYU, who recently gave up 50-plus to Florida State, I don’t believe Oklahoma is that good anyway.
Texas is nothing more than a beneficiary of media hype.
They are over-rated. If the Longhorns face an SEC opponent in the BCS championship they will probably get shellacked, just because of the difference in overall speed.
On the other hand, the Alabama Crimson Tide’s performance level in the first three games has been impressive and efficient. This team has talent and depth at every position. It is also very aggressive.
Quarterback Greg McElroy has exceeded expectations. He displays the poise and accuracy of an experienced playmaker. If he continues to progress at the rate he’s going and stays healthy, Alabama has a solid shot at the national crown – “G-Mac†is that good.
Realistically, this Tide defense stands a chance to be as good as any defense that has ever worn the Crimson jersey. I don’t think anyone will dispute that. And, yes, defense definitely wins championships!
By the way, Alabama also has two of the best running–backs in the nation. Mark Ingram is Heisman material. He may not get a vote, but I think Ingram can do it all. He is an NFL–caliber back right now. And, what about freshman Trent Richardson! There isn’t a more talented young player in the country. I’m looking forward to seeing that “stallion†running wild in the future – he is f-a-s-t!
Maybe it truly doesn’t matter at this point in the season what team is ranked number-one, but I know that among the top three, only Alabama has taken down an equal foe with comparable talent. For that reason alone, I believe that Alabama should be considered the best and ranked at the top.
—Shane writes a weekly column for the Call News and the Capstone Report.
What about Miami? 2 ranked teams, 2 wins. And if they beat Virginia Tech, doesn’t that make their argument even stronger than Bama’s for the number 1 spot? Just sayin
Bama is the same tean that was overrated and got “shellacked” by Utah. Texas’ asset is their overall team speed – don’t what game you were watching? You could probably interchange all three top teams this early and it wouldn’t matter. I hope Texas does play an SEC team in a bowl! Tech could beat 90% of the SEC right now.
Hook’em
“Stallion”……….Shane….That was Gay as Gay gets dude.
A few of the Indians observations over the week……VT was overrated…A average Nebraska team gave then a win..
Texas is not overrated. Are they #2 ? I dont know.. Maybe. But they are top 5 material.
North Texas is not a good barometer to judge your program against. They suck.
BYU was disposed of as most thought they would be. Proving that a Folrida State team that should have lost to friggin JSU is a very inconsistant team. Send Bobby out to pasture please….
Auburns defense better start showing up in the first quarter. They havent all year. If they dont start soon Tennessee will beat us.
Florida is beatable. But is that a suprise ? They lose a game every year. They will probably lose to Alabama. Maybe Georgia. Maybe Arkansas.
Ryan Mallett is probably the best quarterback in the SEC. Forget Snead. Tebow is better all around , but not near the passer Mallett is. Too bad Arky defense is a revolving door. Much like Georgias.
David,
Tech’s number one offense was held to ONE offensive touchdown a few years back against Alabama. In addition, they were completely DEMOLISHED by Ole Miss last season. Don’t get your high hopes up, because you guys struggled to defeat Ohio State — the same team that the SEC has DEMOLISHED the last two times its played one another.
Bring on a Big-12 opponent. The SEC will only further embarrass them for what they’re worth… and if it’s Texas, the SEC will just use the same game-plan Wyoming used in the first quarter. Or the same game-plan that Florida used to shut down that overrated Oklahoma offense. Or that same game-plan that has beaten Texas Tech’s “high-powered” offense. Gosh I do hope an SEC team plays Texas, just to prove to the world that you Cowboys are in the same league as Ohio State — a team you could hardly defeat
And before the Barnies flock to the anti-SEC/Alabama defense… you struggled against West Virginia! Luckily for you guys, that non-existent defense managed to capitalize on turnovers. Good luck with that when you start playing the big boys!
PS: Before anyone attacks my post, I won’t say Alabama is overrated or not. But we’ll find out when we start playing the big boys… not the ‘little, I mean big boys’ from the big 12, I’m talking the SEC!
PSS: I still wouldn’t say Florida is overrated though. UT had one of the best defenses in the SEC last season and it’s only improved this year under Monte Kiffin. I still feel Florida will win out the rest of the year. UT was probably their toughest challenge, as strange as it sounds. It should be smooth sailing for them from here on out.
Wow . . . That was indeed GAY. Bama beats a 2nd or 3rd tier opponent without their best player -AND- you proclaim Bama to be the best of the land. I had to reply.
I think Auburn has a chance to become the #1 team in the country. All they need is fur there opponents to have like 900 turnovers given to them in the game like West Virginia did.
Sausage smuggler…..so no credit is given to the defense that creates those turnovers?? What do you think, WVU just huddles up and decides to give the ball back just to see if the WVU defense can keep them from scoring points?? Moron. Granted, Auburn’s defense couldn’t have tackled my grandma, but did apply enough pressure on the QB to make mistakes. Not to mention the fast paced Malzahn offense wore their defense down so we earned 24 points out of those turnovers. Dude, you must be a bammer. You just can’t stand giving credit where credits due.
And absolutely no credit is due when playing North Texas!!! That win meant less than nothing.
AuRod Licker and Injun Joe Blow, You know it, I know and the whole world knows it, Alabama is scary talented and will soon be nighmarishly unstoppable. That Aubretard defense will not last until halftime against Bama’s double or even triple sledgehammer running attack. The Aubo Junior Varsity talented defense will crawl to the bench crying about their busted faces and bruised bodies. Chiz will probably have to forfeit the game at that point.
SEC WEST STANDINGS AFTER WEEK 3:
1)Alabama, just by a hair
2)Auburn
3)Ole Miss
4)Arkansas
5)LSwho
6)Miss State
You’re the one that’s the moron, not me!
Apart from the gift turnovers, there was all those holding penalties the refs missed.
“Gift” turnovers…..you’re funny. Seriously, are you an lsu fan? They always blame the refs when they lose.
AUROX
You have the audacity to put Auburn at no. 2 on your SEC WEST standings over LSU who beat Washington; a team who beat USC?!?!?!? Alabama by a hair? Give me a break.
CrimsonBlood81′s SEC WEST (WK. 3)
———————————
1. Alabama
2. LSU
3. Auburn
4. Ole Miss
5. Mississippi State
6. Arkansas
This is more realistic according to W/L’s/Rankings/Overall Powerhouse status. Do you agree?? Who does??
You’ll probably say some bullshit that we played some shitty teams but don’t forget you got Ball State this Saturday. I’ll give you credit on saying “LSwho” though — one thing this Alabama fan and Auburn fans agree on. Still though — I see no justification on your standings. OH BTW — what’s your claim on putting Miss. St. over Arkansas — Mullen’s crew has a road win in SEC play. Despite Arkansas’ loveboy QB — that DEEEEEEEEFence really slows down offensive production.
Correction — Arkansas over Miss. St. —- not to say that Arkansas will jump them in the SEC WEST standings later on in the season. Thank you for your time MGMT.
My standings ranked how impressive the West teams have played, relative to opponent. Regardless of SEC wins or not. Example: I’ve got bama number one even though they haven’t played an SEC opponent yet. As a fan of the SEC, I’m very surprised that you bring up an “overall powerhouse status” variable to your rankings. The sooner everybody quits bringing that shit up, the sooner Ohio state, NotreDame, choklahoma and Texas quit getting an automatic 15 spot curve in the rankings every year.
I haven’t said anything about the cupcakes bama has played! Chill out. Auburn gets their first of the season this weekend, and it could not have come at a better time.
Shane you are definitely getting ahead of yourself. Alabama has a win against VT and that is it. N Tex is not a good high school team. Let us wait until we get a little further along in the schedule.
MOJO…..Your coach likes to piss away at least one game a year no matter how talented his team is. Who will it be this year ? Missy St. ?
You cant deny the facts …..
Alabama #1? They’ve managed to move into 1st place in the 6a high school ranks, based on who they’ve played. Next you’ll talk about how tough FIU really is based on their “comeback” against Rutgers. VaTech beat a average Neb. team on a last second play. We’ll know how good everyone is come the middle of October. Alabama has plenty of talent, but they have to actually play somebody to throw out how how great they are. Sure they look good against Pelham High and Gardendale, let’s see what happens against decent SEC teams. And don’t throw Auburn into this conversation cuz I’m not an Auburn fan.
Shane, there’s so many against you here. Why not write an article entitled ‘Who’s number six hundred ninety three’? or something like that, and cover the Auburn Tigers. That way, no one would disagree with you with what you said.
I thought as a blog we were able to post our opinion, yoyoboy you need to check yourself and figure out fact from fiction(that means not true or real if that helps you). And as big a yahoo was the author is I’m sure someone will disagree, unlike you who sees all things with your head up Uncle Nicks… By the way yoyoboy causing turnovers is part of a defenses job, I’m sure if the Tide caused 6 against West Texas School for Wayward Girls you’d be on here talking about how the turnover margin is + 8 for the year and how potent (powerful for you) the defense is. Check yourself buddy
YoYo………..Please man…You cant even see through those Crimson Cke Bottle Glasses can you ? At least not reality.
I for one have said Bama is a great team this year. You choose what you want to hear. I huess you got on crimson ear muffs too ?
Say what you will, but if you cant admit Auburn is improved this year as compared to last year, then you are an idiot.
One good year is all it took for yall to get back to your arrogant, cocky, holier thatn though ways. You ZBammers are so predictable.
I have revised my WEST standings, excuse me for the oversight:
1) Alabama
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)Auburn, lsu, miss st., arkansas and ole miss.
Happy, crimson necks??
A completely unbiased report!
I think you forgot to mention one the three components of a football team: the kicking game. If I recall Tiffin missed two extra points against the mighty North Texas and Alabama leads the nation is allowing kickoffs returned for TD’s. That is not a characteristic of a National Champion.
I realize you never played the game before but Shane you’re pathetic.
Damn it Aurox – finally got that shit right neighbor !
There is nothing pathetic about Shane. He brings his smack and lays it down. Do you ? Hell nah.
Apologies to the Bartender for this extra.
How good is this Alabama team? They could send Julio and Mark fishing again and still demolish Arkansas. Why? They don’t play defense and McElroy has 4 other runners, 8 quality receivers, and Javier Arenas. The writer is correct. The Crimson Tide is a deep, dominating, dangerous football team.
Auburn is indeed an improved team but woefully thin. That is not Chiz’s fault. Hey what is up with this Trooper crap?
From the sound of it he was getting ghetto with the players while wearing a microphone for ESPN. Is he really that stupid, or is it ignorance? Booze? Speed? or even Steroids?
Double Standard:
Shane, it is often possible to be number one, and smell like number two.
It appears that our favorite Auburn Cheer
Leader was so caught-up in the human drama of athletic competition, that he actually crossed the line of political correctness.
I am almost certain that Trooper’s street talk will be swept under a rug in Bristol. The Auburn damage control is plausible deniability delivered by Coach Dye.
The fact that the highly respected author, Donald Jackson seems to have a similar response, leads me to believe that you might be on to something.
Personally, I don’t give a shit.
For now, we are mearly number three.
It’s business as usual in T-Town.
Yall do know that Trooper is black , right ?
It reminds me of “The Jerk” when the two bodyguards made that comment. remember what Steve said ?
That was hilarious.
You bammers are reaching……hard. As long as the athlete and coach aren’t mad with one another, I could give 2 shits what is said on the sidelines. Whatever it takes to get the players fired up.
Let’s not be politically correct pu**sys about this.
Yeah, that “SEC speed” was sure impressive watching Georgia lose to Oklahoma State.
Not to mention Utah, destroying the Crimson Tide.
Dude, take off your elephant hat, and get a clue.
WHy should having ESPN mic you up make you something your not? If he got Ghetto in your words (ignorance at uats finest)
then thats what he does… I ll bet he could beat your ass while talking WHITE!!! And Shane close but no cigar.. About the only thing you got right was GMAC LOOKS GOOD!!! Ingram is the man and Richardson ran all over the same high schoolers he did last year! PLease quite compareing that defense to 92s.. I ll bet EVEN Keith Mccants whould slap you for that one!
Number One???….. Doubt it!
Bama’s offense is much more balanced this year than last. I think McElroy’s ability to stretch the field is going to make a big difference. Going all the way back to Michigan State, Saban has always been able to win with a big athlete at the WR position (Jones) and a QB who could stretch the field vertically (McElroy). Both those pieces are in place, aided by a multi-talented running game.
All last year I was skeptical of Ingram.
But he has totally won my respect. With his ability in the passing game, it makes Bama that much more dangerous.
I’ll make one prediction only –
The SEC west will be won by a team with at least one conference loss!
Shane,
After reading this ‘article’ and I am using that term loosely, why should anyone play any more games? I mean lets just save a whole bunch of money for the entire country and give the championship to Bama now. As a matter of fact, lets just end College Football all together and give it all to Bama. I even think we should kick Obama out of office and put Saban in his place. Saban could then form a team or pass a law to review past seasons of college football and come up with a reason as to why Bama should have neen national champions. Dude your an idiot at best…….
Isnt that how they count about 7 of those 12 National championships ? They just said “Hey !! We are National Champs!!” Even though they didnt even win the conference or there bowl game.
Anybody who watches football knows Bama is the best team in the country this year. They hit thier stride against Arkansas lsat year, and will do the same this year. We will kill Arkansas, and Mallet will be lucky to walk out of the stadium. Auburn, on the other hand, got bailed out by the refs again and the turnovers didn’t hurt either. I think Auburn was very close to getting exposed Saturday, but that will happen soon enough. They will be lucky to beat Kentucky and get to 6 wins because they aren’t going to beat any other SEC defenses with that gimmicky offense.I can’t wait until the Iron Blowout!!!!!!!!!!! RTR Biatchhhhhhhhhhhh!
Igram was a STUD last year as well. And AUburn is gonna be 6-1 before LSU
My Prediction of the .. And Bama looses one before November
what is so funny is how many inbred aub’s are on this site because they beat the 32nd ranked team and two worse than that and they want to talk about ntex, afew more games you aub homo’s will be as scarce on big bother’s web site as yall were at a bowl game last year. . . watch and see how they start dropping off, come to think of it i haven’t seen much of indianavol homo after ucla. . . see what i mean
uat has played 2 high schools and 1
average team. the gators are still the best team in the country after 3 weeks.of all the teams i have seen play so far. fla,texas,miami,cal,sou cal,cincinnati,auburn would beat uat.
All of these mullets think they could have beaten WV after their half time score embarassments to high school teams. Let me explain why the halftime scores for the last 2 Bama games have been pathetic. It means that these teams are actually playing hard with 1 star athletes and can hang. The difference is they wear out after halftime and give up. This isn’t gonna happen with an SEC school and the mullets are gonna have to play all 4 quarters to win. I really wouldn’t run my mouth if I was a mullet based on the last 2 games and Vtech is not that good. WV could hand them their helmets with their head in it.
The mullets will have thier first loss this Sat and I will be happy to have some cocky mouths in the up position.
AU will rock this year and this supposed “sham” offense will kick some mullet this year. Keep talking, it will be all the more sweeter to watch the midget yell and cus his players on the sideline while they lose.
A tale of two coaches……Saban inherited a team that went 16-9 in the previous two years. He went 7-6 his first year. Chizik inherited a team that went 14-11 in the previous two years. So far, he’s 3-0, and has cleared a hurdle the mighty saban was unable to do is first year–beat a Louisiana directional school! And that’s with, according to the bammers, inferior, no-star talent and no number 1 recruiting class!
I’m not trying to stir up anything (never), I just thought that was interesting.
Bamahate,
All the comedians that are looking for work and you come on here trying to be funny.
Well, I’ll give it to you, that was pretty funny, but you are the one running that mouth, that by the end of October will have either changed your name or will be lost forever in cyber world.
Scream on war bird somone will bury that arse real soon.
And I really appreicate that explaination as to how Bama has gotten by their first opponents. That was very enlightening.
Hey uat has IMPRESSED ME I do beleive they are the number 3 team SO FAR
JMO
And Auturd has impressed me: What with the Insane Clown Posse for a coaching staff, Charles from Reeltown as official spokesperson, and a ‘team’ with a whopping 70 players on scholarship. How can anyone not be impressed. Throw in Trooper Stooper and his down home ghetto approach and you have the essence of a real Sun Belt Championship hopeful. Tell me something; since the Trooper ‘the towel’ Turd-alot has decided to use Ebonics as the excuse for his indiscretion, will his next trick involve a custom diamond studded, Kanye West autographed, K-mart bluelight special gold-plated face grill, along with a set of neon colored funkadelic dreads to go with his mink stole, platform sole, Huggie Bear medallion collection? He already has permission to rent the Limo. Aubie can now have the new and improved Tiger Pimp Roll, not to be mistaken with the lame-O tiger prowl, big cat queer hole!!
Don’t jump on me, Ole Troop went to the Ebonics card way to quickly. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander!!
Rock on and Keep it down home CUZZZZZ!!!
Yeah, I said what Patrick, the Fain (or is it Fake) man, always says, ‘Keep it down Home CUZ’ and don’t forget to feed the coyote!!
You guys sure must be proud!!!!
Oh and ‘cough’, ‘cough’