mythical national championship: a time for friends

#1 Notre Dame vs. #2 Alabama

What started as a horrible nightmare so many weeks ago becomes reality Monday as two of the worst programs and fan bases collide in one of the dumbest cities in the country. As people like that idiot Jesse Palmer debate over why Notre Dame's hotel selection gives them an advantage, more reasonable people are drinking hillbilly screwdrivers(?) and getting mad at Big 10 comparisons. Indeed, the pope himself will be watching the game Monday, most likely chugging a Bud Light every time Manti Te'o picks off notable dreamboat AJ McCarron.

His Holiness was reported to have said, "FUCK DA TIDE GO IRISH".

As for the rest of us with no discernible interest in either team we can only hope and pray that the collective smug cloud from either Alabama or Indiana doesn't consume us all.

Notre Dame takes shelter in their Catholic approved family friendly hotel as "that other" unbeaten team in college football. They entered the season with college football's most difficult pre-season schedule, only to find it... Not so difficult after all. After taking care of Navy 50-10 Notre Dame began their Big 10 stretch squeaking by Purdue, then exposing Michgan State as complete frauds and finally handing Michigan its first real loss (no one expected them to beat Alabama right? Right?) Next, Notre Dame welcomed Miami to South Bend and under the watchful eyes of touchdown Jesus put a beat down on the non-believers that any medieval inquisitionist would have been proud of. The next game against Stanford is still a bit inconclusive despite the W in Notre Dame's win column. It's pointless to debate it now but a win is a win and over the Pac 12's best it's impressive nonetheless. Then they beat BYU. The week after was probably the most important in Notre Dame's season. Beating Oklahoma in Norman was when most of the country realized they're the real deal. And not just a regular beating but a 30-13 thrashing. Of course maybe Oklahoma wasn't as good as everyone thought considering the bowl game just now, Big Game Bob... Nah, I won't say it. After that Notre Dame would go on to have a real clunker against Pitt. I think it was pretty excusable considering after that huge game in Norman I'm sure they were emotionally spent so I never really held it against them. Every unbeaten team has close calls against teams they have no business having close calls against. Then they beat Boston College and Wake Forest. And finally the Irish closed out their season with a non-game against that scumbag Lane Kiffin, last seen doing his best unibomber impersonation.

So whether or not you like Notre Dame, believe they're really the best team in the country, approve of their rape covering up or assistant killing policies you can't argue they have earned the chance to play in the MNC.

Everett Golson's feet will be huge in this game.

Alabama gets a chance to play in the title game by the grace of a catch that shouldn't have been. Like I said when that first happened almost anything would have been better than that outcome if you're a Georgia fan. I hate to repeat myself, but I understand it was an extremely intense moment but I don't get how a veteran quarterback like Aaron Murray can not know to spike the ball their. Or if you're that receiver just don't catch the ball! Let it bounce off your hands or something. I still get worked up thinking about that. What a crappy way for one of the best games of the season to end.

Unlike Notre Dame, Alabama played one of the weakest schedules of anyone. With such fierce competition like Western Kentucky, Florida Atlantic, and Western Carolina; Indeed their schedule reads more like a map than the resume of the best team in the SEC. There's something to be said, I guess, that you can only play who you play and they beat those teams like you'd expect, but still, compared to Notre Dame's it's junk.

The biggest pre-season game of the year turned out to be a snooze fest as Alabama pushed around Michigan in the season opener. Then, over the next 2 games Alabama would not have a score made against as they beat Western Kentucky and Arkansas which is when everyone realized Arkansas had fallen off the face of the Earth. Next they played another non-oppenent in Florida Atlantic before beating Ole Miss, Missouri, and Tennessee. None of which were close. Mississippi State was an interesting game as both teams came into it undefeated, it was really only interesting for about 2 seconds as Alabama won 38-7. Next game the biggest game of the century part 3 as Alabama went to Death Valley to play LSU. This was actually a really good game that had LSU coming out on top until the fourth quarter when Zach Mettenburger remembered he's a bad quarterback and Alabama came out on top. It was still the closest game to date for Alabama... Until the next game when they finally lost at home to future Heisman trophy winner Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M. The next two games Alabama won by a combined score of 98-0 including a game against Auburn which was the final nail in the Chizik-shaped coffin. Alabama wrapped up their season against the Georgia in the before mentioned SEC Championship game which I don't have anything to say about.

Evil vs. even more Evil will duke it out Monday before enjoying a mocha grande together.

The downside about Alabama's very weak schedule is that they've struggled against the couple good teams they played like LSU, A&M, and Georgia. Also, Alabama seems to struggle against mobile quarterbacks like Manziel and even Robinson to an extent in that Michigan game. So to me it seems like this game will come down to the play of Notre Dame quarterback, Everett Golson. With Alabama you always know what you will get, mistake free football with very good defense and solid quarterback play from McCarron.

Notre Dame doesn't excel so much at passing the ball as they rely on Golson to make moves with his feet. Unfortunately for Notre Dame Alabama is #1 in the country at stopping the run.

Hopefully the Irish have been watching hours and hours of tape of the A&M game for clues about what they can do. It starts with not turning the ball over. In that game A&M did not turn the ball over once while McCarron threw two picks. Another thing is that despite Alabama being very good at stopping the rush, as well as the pass; Golson will need to beat Alabama through the air. Manziel was able to throw for 253 yards in that game which is why he won the Heisman. Golson will need to have a similar performance if Notre Dame is to win.

Notre Dame's defense will need to have a similar Heisman-like performance. The key in this matchup will  be Notre Dame's front 7 against the two headed beast of Lacy and Yeldon. This could arguably be the most interesting matchup of the game. Everyone who watched the LSU game should remember those two carrying Alabama down the field in that final drive, getting first downs and then some with each carry. Notre Dame rank #4 against the run but they haven't faced competition like this before. Alabama does not rely on the pass as much but when they do they seldom make mistakes, exception being that A&M game. Notre Dame's defense will need to extremely opportunistic in that regard and get off the field on third downs as Alabama will no doubt try to shorten the game as much as possible.

Keys for Notre Dame to win: Golson needs to beat Alabama through the air while extending plays with with his feet. The defense needs to get off the field on third down. Do not commit any turnovers while capitalizing off of Alabama's. 

Alabama will probably try to win the game behind Lacy and Yeldon their two star running backs. Both of them will need to have stellar performances against Notre Dame's extremely good rushing defense. That being said I would not be surprised to see Alabama come out throwing the ball to take Notre Dame off their game plan. A long pass down the field off the first offensive play for Alabama would not be shocking.

AJ McCarron no doubt has nightmares about the last time he played a mobile quarterback but he needs to forget about that and play mistake free ball. A few picks and points off of those would doom any team but I think Alabama suffers especially from that given that they seem to not be able to play from behind.

Keys for Alabama to win: AJ McCarron must not make any mistakes. Do not fall behind. Rushing game needs to be excellent. Shorten the game.

With Alabama's defense you know what you are getting. So I think this game will come down to the offenses.

I feel like I'm repeating myself and making points that could be said about any game, but that's how it goes. In the end this just is another game.

The line in this game has Alabama up by 9 1/2 which to me seems like a lot. My first thought would be to take Alabama to win but for Notre Dame to cover. I can't tell if this is a sucker bet or what but something seems off with it. We've seen throughout the season that Notre Dame can play with anyone while Alabama has struggled against the little decent competition they've had. Perhaps the book-makers are counting on that whole "Saban with lots of time to gameplan is invincible"... Who knows.

Isn't this a conflict of interest or something?

I'm having a really hard time making a pick because I think the whole game comes down to Golson. I could see him having a perfect game and Notre Dame easily winning just as I could see him having a not so perfect game and Alabama winning. Part of me just wants to call the upset for Notre Dame... At least I feel like there's precedent in making that call given the A&M game.

In the end though I think I'm just going to go with my initial thought that Alabama will win but Notre Dame will cover.

Regardless I hope you enjoy watching and have had an enjoyable football season. I know I have and have really enjoyed writing about the games. I apologize for not keeping up with it as much lately but between real life things and what not I suddenly find myself with not as much free time. I will periodically have new posts throughout the off-season so check it out!