A classic game? Nope, just classic Alabama domination
Touchdown, Alabama! And there were a bunch of those Monday night. (AP photo by John Bazemore)
UPDATED WITH NICK SABAN QUOTES
Miami Gardens, Fla. – For a minute, this felt like a real event. That was the minute before kickoff, when the stadium was alive and both sides lived in hope. Then the game began, and it got …
Ugly? If you’d hoped for a competitive BCS championship game, yes. But in another way, what came after was a kind of brutal beauty. A great football team played at the peak of its power, and how often are we privileged to witness such brilliance? If this wasn’t quite UCLA beating No. 1 Houston 101-69 in the 1968 Final Four, it was pretty darn close.
Alabama led by seven points after three minutes, by 21 four seconds into the second quarter. At that moment, the Crimson Tide had outgained No. 1 Notre Dame 203 yards to 23 and had scored more points than the vaunted Irish defense had allowed in four quarters this season. It’s easy to say now that Notre Dame stands revealed as a fraud, but this is what Alabama does. It takes big-shouldered No. 1 teams — LSU last January, Notre Dame this time — and renders them puny by comparison.
Again we were reminded that there is no other league like the SEC, which has won seven BCS titles in succession and might win the next 77, but now we know that, even among the SEC’s array of heavyweights, there’s no program like Alabama and no coach like Nick Saban. This was once seen as the least of the past five Tide teams – afterward, Saban said his men “certainly exceeded every expectation we had for them” — but it was again the best in the land.
Three of the past four BCS title games have been won by Alabama, and four of the past 10 championships have been taken by Saban. What began as domination by a conference has yielded to the singular excellence of one driven man. College football has its Krzyzewski, meaning a coach who isn’t just the best but the best by such a distance as to make it seem unfair.
Said Saban: “A world like ‘dynasty’ is not one I’m much interested in. I’m more interested in ‘accomplishment’ and ‘consistency’ and ‘performance.’ ”
SEC zealots will insists Notre Dame wouldn’t have gone unbeaten against an SEC-caliber schedule, and it probably wouldn’t. (Even Alabama didn’t.) But the Irish arrived as a proud and strong team that had beaten Stanford, which won the Pac-12, and Oklahoma, which finished tied atop the Big 12, and other Brand Names. But it was clear after one drive that Notre Dame at its best couldn’t touch Alabama, and rarely does Bama allow any opponent to look its best.
Eddie Lacy burst through holes as as broad as an airport runway, and those few times he encountered Irish resistance he shrugged it aside. The decorated Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o was made to look ordinary, and the Irish lineman couldn’t lay a pinkie on AJ McCarron, who found receivers running free and easy. And when Alabama dazzles you with offensive footwork, you’re in for a long night.
Early in the second quarter, there came a moment when the difference in class was made manifest. The fleet Irish quarterback Everett Golson shook free on a third-down scramble and had a clear path to the first down. C.J. Mosley, whose tip of Aaron Murray’s final pass decided the hairbreadth SEC championship game, ran down Golson and stopped him short.
Only moments earlier, Irish coach Brian Kelly chose to try for a first down on fourth-and-five at the Alabama 39. The play failed, and it underscored how quickly Alabama can drive a sound coach to desperation. (Fun fact: When Notre Dame scored late in the third quarter, it marked the first points Bama had yielded in the 108 minutes and seven seconds in the BCS title game, a span over which it had outscored three opponents — Texas, LSU and now Notre Dame — 69-0.)
This game was 28-0 at the half — it would end 42-14 — and 28-nil wasn’t from the famous 31-0 halftime spread Alabama had amassed against No. 3 Georgia in Athens on Sept. 28, 2008. That game stands as the first watershed victory of Saban’s Bama, and almost everything since has been a consolidation of gains, and who out there seems apt to stem the raging Tide?
Said Saban, quibbling: “We got here by five yards. Georgia was five yards from scoring (to win the SEC title).”
Before Monday night, no school had repeated as BCS champion. Alabama now has two in a row, and three of four, and the belief in Tide circles is that next year’s team will be even better. Just as the SEC has lapped the rest of the collegiate field, Alabama has lapped the mighty SEC. Even within the only conference that matters, there’s only one team that matters. Nick Saban’s team.
“This was really special,” he said, “and someday when I’m sitting on the hill watching the stream go by, I might think even deeper thoughts. But what about next year’s team? Somebody’s got to think about that.”
By Mark Bradley
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414 comments Add your comment
Torrey W
January 8th, 2013
12:48 am
Not only was Bama revealed as the work of Sabanic genius it is, but the BCS as the utter failure it represents. How else can you describe a system that not only billed this as a matchup between the 2 very best teams in the land, but prior to the NCG, ranked ND higher than Bama, UGA, TAM, LSU, etc.? This was a game of boys v. Men – toy soldiers v. Titans – wannabe’s v. The Truth. All hail the end of the BCS experiment! Cast it upon the junk pile of history’s utter failures and bring on the new playoff system.
Congratulations Bama! Job well done. May God Bless you & see you all in Sept of ‘13!
2013
January 8th, 2013
12:49 am
ala
texam
oregon
stanford
SC
ND
Ga
WillinRoswell
January 8th, 2013
12:49 am
Congratulations to the SEC, which had an outstanding football season. Only a couple of stumbles in the bowls. Even my sentimental favorite, Vandy, did well. How sweet it is.
cmac22
January 8th, 2013
12:53 am
Once again, a soft schedule land notre damn in a bcs bowl & once again, they get hammered!!! Just another reason for a real playoff system … like every other sport!
Left Coast Dawg
January 8th, 2013
12:56 am
Just in, final BCS rankings (top 5):
1. Alabama 1.000
2. Oregon 0.9215
3. Georgia 0.9086
4. Stanford 0.8995
5. Texas A&M 0.8485
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
January 8th, 2013
12:59 am
Actually, we’re not sure if ND is a Top Ten team ?
older1
January 8th, 2013
1:11 am
NCAA will be sniffing around BAMA before long wait and see, to much winning going on.
woooo
January 8th, 2013
1:26 am
Congrats UGA fans! You can now latch on Alabama’s win like a parasite and chant $EC!
Just remember, you got beat by Bama just like Notre Dame.
I guess when you haven’t won a title in 30 something years you just lower your standards and consider winning when someone from your conference wins.
captguitarman
January 8th, 2013
1:29 am
Just to be polite before the game, it was just good manners to say something like . . . yeah, ND is a good team and under dogs have won before, and anything can happen, etc. . . . but who really believed that for a second. ND should have lost to Pitt (were they ranked at all?) and escaped because they missed a field goal. They should have lost to Stanford, but they also missed one or two field goals. And USC gave them a hell of a game, with USC’s starting quarterback on the bench the entire game.
But, it was the mighty Notre Dame, and Knute, and the Gipper, and the luck of the Irish and touchdown Jesus, and the national love of recognition of the Fightin’ Irish etc. and well . . . here is a very good live lesson for everyone about what can happen to your when you ignore reality and start to believe your own legend, your own hype, and your own BS. ND and their fans bought it all hook line and sinker, and the results are never good.
They might have noticed that Bama won a league that is a whole lot different than when they last played in the 80’s. It is easy to immediately recognize two better teams than Notre Dame right off the get go – Texas A&M and Georgia. And again the college football world will have to grit their teeth once again as Bama of the SEC is rated number one for 2013-2014, and with Texas A&M and Georgia in the top along with them 5 with them. And then Oregon (who will do great and then crater as they always do, and Ohio State coming off probation, which might be real with a former SEC coach now running the show. So. Bama, A&M, Georgia, Oregon, and THE Ohio State University in the top 5 to start the year. It could happen. Notre Dame may make it into the top ten, but that is a maybe. LSU, beaten by a great team in a tough one point loss is still hanging in there. Clemson is certainly a top ten team. And Florida is still n the picture, but the Gators, who sleep walked through their bowl game, will have to prove themselves all over again with victories. Prediction: Unless A&M and Georgia really step up and stop the Tide, Bama will will 3 in a row next year.
woooo
January 8th, 2013
1:37 am
Guitarman, I assume you have never heard of the term “brevity is the soul of wit”.
BBQ MAN
January 8th, 2013
2:13 am
uga fans are so delusional ..
RTideR
January 8th, 2013
2:13 am
sec coaches better pray that Saban takes an nfl job in the next few years—if not, he’ll be dominating the SEC with a bunch more SEC and BCS titles. Nick may end up with 10 titles before he leaves alabama—RTR—-#15. #16 coming in 2013—that bama team will be even better!
Malco
January 8th, 2013
2:15 am
if ND played in the SEC, they would have 2-3 losses easy. Size, speed, coaching—no comparison.
Creaky
January 8th, 2013
2:53 am
All the rest are just SEC wannabes!!!
Creaky
January 8th, 2013
2:55 am
and don’t the rest of the nation hate it!!!
Fair n Balanced
January 8th, 2013
2:56 am
The whole Bowl Season was useless an uninteresting. The two best teams played in Atlanta for SECC and the real interesting part of college football this season was over. Hats off to Bama, Saban and the fans. They were best in the land this season……..but only by 5 yards!
Bali
January 8th, 2013
3:35 am
Mark….I’m sure you or other writers have done this before, but I’d be cuious as to how many GA fans would take Saban over Richt? Either for the long hall……..or just to win a National Chaanpionship? I think GA fans hate Saban cause he winds up winning wherever he goes.
In lieu of this game….I’d like to hear some rational discussions on this matter. And this is from a 40 year dawg fan.
Dawg1
January 8th, 2013
3:54 am
The National Championship was played a month ago..
Otherwise known as the SEC Championship Game…
Dawg1
January 8th, 2013
4:00 am
woooooooooooooo
Your an idiot…
Dawg1
January 8th, 2013
4:02 am
Life long UGA Fan…
I don’t hate Saban…
Proud of our team.
Proud of our coach
Proud of the SEC
Dawgnation
January 8th, 2013
4:29 am
Hey 2013 Texas A&M lost to Florida
Dawgnation
January 8th, 2013
4:30 am
At least Ga showed up to play Bama
zbulldawg
January 8th, 2013
5:31 am
R-O-L-L Tide Roll SEC. “NEXT”
Tucker
January 8th, 2013
5:48 am
Atlanta already has the national championship game every year.
Ricky Bobby: "You're either 1st or you're last."
January 8th, 2013
6:09 am
I don’t understand people’s obsession about where they end up in the polls. You’re either first…or you’re not. Who cares who’s 2nd, or 3rd, or 10th, or 50th. I love how the deluded UGA fans think that ‘bama’s beatdown of ND makes them #2…really…some interesting math going on there. Congrats to ‘bama on another great season. And to hell with the BCS and UGA.
steveo
January 8th, 2013
6:09 am
I said all along that Notre Dame was living on the “luck of the Irish”….they couldnt have beaten any of the top 4 teams in the SEC….what a joke!!!
Silver Fox
January 8th, 2013
6:11 am
Who can argue that Saban’s not the best coach in the world, the universe? But he’s not our coach and I wouldn’t trade what we have at UGA for Saban or any other coach or any other players for that matter. I feel sorry for those of you who don’t understand the pleasure of rooting for family, loving them for trying hard to do their best, forgiving them when they make missteps.
As for me I thank God for UGA and for a program that puts character first.
Bama Fan #2
January 8th, 2013
6:14 am
ROLL TIDE FOLKS!!!
15TH NC’S
HOPE TO SEE THE DAWGS IN ATLANTA IN DECEMBER!!!
Jim
January 8th, 2013
6:15 am
Good article Mark. I am a UGA fan, but I have never seen my Dawgs play with this precision. Well coached and well prepared. As Vince Lombardi said, “There is no second place. There is only one place and that is First Place.” Maybe we can get Alabama to move to the ACC.
Congradulations to Saban and Alabama. Go Dawgs and hope for next year.
I told you alabama would win it all
January 8th, 2013
6:33 am
Hey Lou Holtz and the rest of the sportscenter clowns who Pick Notre dame did you cry foul again….did Lou Holtz Fart after sayin Irish would win 24-10 yesterday 30 mins before kick off….I bet he just crap in pants…Ha Ha I guess next they claim Bama had better rest then Notre dame are someone ate bad food…Hey i got better 12-1 Notre dame from No1 to Not in top 25 after Lost…That right no Poll rated here….If Georgia was Rated 1# and lost they be in 25 spot….Bias here at espn who still feel seattle will win easy i say No atlanta will beat seahawks 41-17 sunday afternoon and Play SF here sunday for NFL championship at Ga Dome Makin espn cry and Fox sick and CBS seein Us in superbowl….vs some one …
Jim
January 8th, 2013
6:34 am
ND 4th in AP. GIVE ME A BREAK.
Old Dog Class of 80
January 8th, 2013
6:37 am
“As for me I thank God for UGA and for a program that puts character first”
Fans like these are the reason we have mediocrity at UGA.
Clowney is KIng
January 8th, 2013
6:52 am
You UGA fans who says UGA is #2 in the land, how do you explain 35-7 on October 7th, 2012? UGA fans have convenient amnesia when it comes to that game, like it never even happended!
dap01
January 8th, 2013
7:02 am
Why was ND even playing in the game? ESPN hype machine! That Teo linebacker was weak but he is hyped to be the best. ESPN can be trusted.
te29wr
January 8th, 2013
7:04 am
Congrats to Bama But for once Bama fans please have some class when you win It is bad enough to be classless when you loose but worse when you win. Good job Mark
GOO DAWGS
te29wr
January 8th, 2013
7:06 am
Clowney
Did you forget your bad days in Gainsville and Red Stick?
Iluvnutella
January 8th, 2013
7:11 am
The hated Dawggies wda CRUSHED that team too. Oregon woulda spanked their behinds…..My beloved jackets beat the snot out of USC, who scared the ND team and shoulda won…..ALA, ORE, UGA, in that order imho. Go Jackets!
geoargiadawg70
January 8th, 2013
7:19 am
Georgia was five yards away from being NC.or if Murry was 6 feet two instead of six feet one.
FLA DAWG
January 8th, 2013
7:20 am
I wouldn’t call an SEC loss and a 4 yard win vs another SEC team “lapping” the SEC.
But Bama dismantled every part of ND.
Nativebird
January 8th, 2013
7:21 am
ESPN, Now can we PLEASE stop with all this Big10, Pac12 and NOtre Dame non-sense? Football players from the south are better, pure and simple. They are Tougher, meaner, bigger and faster, period. Truth hurts. Don’t like it? Do something about it.
Tim Dawg
January 8th, 2013
7:23 am
Congrats Bama job well done ND overrated. CMR please take notice on how to win championships!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the senator
January 8th, 2013
7:27 am
LSU was just as close to the NC game as Georgia…if not for the screen pass, they win the west, dump UGA in the SECCG, beat ND…but close means nothing. If it did, I would have won the Powerball lottery a dozen times by now.
Buckeye
January 8th, 2013
7:32 am
dogs will be extrapolating
dogs still lost
dogs still cryin’ and a humpin’
Buckeye
January 8th, 2013
7:33 am
but fear not, dogs,
The off season begins today and you are next years NC and ranked #1
The Plain Truth
January 8th, 2013
7:33 am
A few comments about UGA:
1. Four different SEC teams have won the last seven BCS championships.
2. UGA was NOT one of those teams.
3. During that period, UGA did not even win an SEC championship.
4. Red panties and Damon Evans.
5. 85% of UGA football recruits would not be admitted to UGA based only on grades and SAT scores. These clowns are called “Special Admits.”
In other words, UGA has sunk into total irrelevancy both regionally and nationally.
So why is UGA still paying Mark Richt millions of dollars a year?
papadawg
January 8th, 2013
7:35 am
I can think of several SEC team who would have beat the Irish. They are average at best.
Buckeye
January 8th, 2013
7:39 am
buckeye not
Patience doghopper parasite.
jeffrey d
January 8th, 2013
7:40 am
Atlanta already has the national championship game every year.
So then LSU is the 2011 National Champion?
jeffrey d
January 8th, 2013
7:42 am
So why is UGA still paying Mark Richt millions of dollars a year?
So you’re saying the hundred or so coaches who didn’t win National Championship deserve to be fired or be paid minimum wage?
Buckeye
January 8th, 2013
7:42 am
Plain Truth,
Amen. And the dogs are total parasites for chanting SEC! SEC!
They’ve done nothing to earn the right.
Even the Lady Gym dogs lost last weekend.