It doesn’t matter that Alabama has received shaky QB play with Mark Ingram running.
Place: Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Line: Alabama by 7 1/2
Three reasons Alabama will win
1. Running early, run often: It’s what works, why change now? Even with the recent struggles of first-year starting QB Greg McElroy, the Tide continue to win with what has essentially become a one-dimensional offense. How, you ask? Because they’re physical up front at the point of attack, and because TBs Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson (a dynamic alternative to Ingram who can’t be overlooked) break tackles and make defenders miss. Adding spread option principles has given the running game a nice changeup.
2. Healthy and hungry: Two things happened last week that set up Alabama for a critical stretch run to finish the season: 1.) the bye week allowed the team to get healthy before a physical West Division slobberknocker. And 2.) the bye week allowed Texas to jump past the Tide in the BCS poll, leaving Alabama with more motivation for the biggest game of the regular season. Tide coach Nick Saban couldn’t have asked for more if he called the SEC office and demanded it. An angry team is a motivated, finely-tuned team.
3. Defensive dominance: If LSU thought the Florida game was a struggle offensively, wait until it goes on the road and tries to play in a rowdy environment against a defense that’s just as fast and physical. …
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