Who will Fighting Irish face for National Championship
Half the BCS Championship game has been set as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeated a valiant USC 22-13 in southern California Friday night.
However, the second team in the BCS Championship game is still unknown, but an SEC team will fill that spot, but what SEC team is a big question.
On Saturday, the Alabama Crimson Tide won the SEC West division in very anticlimactic fashion by thrashing the Auburn Tigers in the Iron Bowl 49-0. The Tigers put up no fight in the game and their own coach Gen Chizik said he felt embarrassed and disappointed.
The win puts the Tide in the SEC Championship game, which will determine the second team to play in the BCS Championship game. The Alabama attack was working on all eight cylinders in their win. AJ McCarron, the Tide’s quarterback had 216 yards passing including four touchdown tosses. The Alabama offense scored as many touchdowns, as the Auburn offense had first downs.
The Tide will face the University of Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC title game. The Bulldogs defeated in state rival Georgia Tech 42-10 to win the East division of the SEC.
Georgia will face Alabama to determine the winner of the SEC. Currently the Bulldogs are ranked no. 3, while the Crimson Tide is ranked no. 2 in the nation. The winner of next week’s SEC title game is assured of a ticket to the BCS Championship in South Florida.
Leading up to Georgia’s game on Saturday against Tech, the Bulldogs offense had averaged over 500 yards per game over their past three games. Their opponents might have been overmatched but to any team playing in the SEC, a SEC win is a win.
Next week’s matchup will feature two talented teams and Alabama will have to play its best next weekend if they hope to win in the Georgia Dome in front of a partisan Bulldog crowd.
With a win, Alabama will be able to defend the national championship on January 7 in Miami versus the Fighting Irish. A Georgia win means it will move on to its biggest game in 30 years. In 1982, the Herschel Walker led no. 1 Bulldogs played Penn State in the Sugar Bowl and lost 27-23.
This season Alabama has played as good if not better than any other team in the country. Their defense is as strong as they get at the collegiate level and their offense is starting to pick up pace with their thrashing of Auburn on Saturday as an example.
The game between the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide will be for all the SEC marbles and in essence a semifinal for the national championship. Alabama head coach Nick Saban and his players have been here before and have the experience needed to win.
The Tide remembers when they were over-hyped two seasons ago and lost to the LSU Tigers and that is something the Bulldogs will have to look out for in this SEC title game.
Emotions will be high and even though both teams have super talented players, everyone needs to remember they are still young men and the emotion of the moment could affect their play on the field.
Personally, I think the Crimson Tide is the better of the two teams and will win the game, the SEC championship and move on to play the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. I also feel the Tide will defeat the Irish in the BCS championship and repeat as National Champions.
