9-6.

Despite being outcoached by Les Miles and losing a second straight game to LSU, there is no truth to the rumor that Nick Saban is forcing himself to take a medical scholarship.

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Filed under Nick Saban Rules

70 responses to “9-6.

  1. mwo

    The damage control department is working overtime in Tuscaloosa. Every talking head is calling for a rematch in the BCS championship game. Seems I remember a team in 2007 that was on a very good roll who didn’t get a shot in the ‘ship because ” they didn’t even win their own division” according to Herbstreit and associates et al. Funny how the rules may be different now with Little Nicky involved.

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    • And we were unquestionably the hottest team in the land at that time. Herbie loves him some hypocrisy.

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    • Brandon

      You forget one of the main axioms of the Herbstreit Doctrine, Herbie reserves the right to change it at will.

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      • The ATH

        Come on boys. I’m as big a fan of the Dawgs as anyone, but the situations are clearly distinguishable.

        In ’07, we were arguing that we belonged in the BCS title game INSTEAD of LSU. We got blown out by UT on top of our loss to USCe while LSU barely lost their games in OT and then went on to win the SEC. I know we might’ve looked like the “hotter” team at the end, but objectively I would’ve put LSU in ahead of us based on the results from the games.

        Here, Bama would be going in ADDITION to LSU – not instead of them. I still doubt it happens, but anyone that suggests the scenarios are identical here is giving into personal bias IMO.

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        • Gravidy

          I’m with you, ATH. There are definite differences between the two situations. HOWEVER…that doesn’t mean I won’t still think Herbie’s a hypocritical POS. That is because he repeatedly said (back in ’07) that ANY team that “didn’t even win its own division” should be eliminated from consideration for the MNC. Now that he and his Four Letter Network acolytes are actively pimping Bammer for the game, we see that there are some exceptions to their rigid, righteous orthodoxy. You can count me among the utterly unsurprised.

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          • Will (the other one)

            And I think that came a year after he argued that Meatchicken should play a rematch against Ohio State.

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        • I didn’t expect us to get into the game in 2007. But Herbie’s flip flop hypocrisy from his 2006 plea to human voters to put Michigan ahead of Florida if they felt they were truly deserving of a rematch with tOSU in the NCCG, followed up one year later with a firm mandate that a team must win it’s division to ever be considered was nauseating. Now he is rescinding the mandate. It is “Follow the Script” time at Mickey’s Sports Network. The beautiful, yet sometimes heartbreaking reality of CFB is that every game has the potential to be an elimination game. As great as Alabama is, they lost their elimination game. Why should LSU have to play them again? That would be like in 1996 if Woehlers could have asked to have a do over on the curve ball he hung to that tool Jim Leyritz. No, you can’t. Should have thrown him another fricking fastball!

          Anyway… Go Dawgs! Beat Auburn!

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      • The Lone Stranger

        Herbstreit has been a tool ever since the Dawgs smacked him all over the place in that 1993 Citrus Bowl — he threw for something like 110 yds. and delivered an interception and botched handoff for a fumble.

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        • Biggus Dickus

          Thank you for that info TLS. I didn’t realize that was Herbie who QBed that ’93 OSU team! This explains a lot. Some people hold grudges for their entire lives. Just ask Steve Spurrier.

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  2. SouthGa Dawg

    Mark my words – Finebaum will not speak of this game tomorrow on his show. It will be like it never happened…

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  3. I am sure the Auburn callers will light up the board. Wonder if the screener will let them through?

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  4. AthensHomerDawg

    Saban should take a page out of his protegee’s play book and draft a kicker out of the local frat house pre-game. Dooley did and he used him to kick 3 PATs and one FG!

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  5. Red Blackman

    The game of the century of the year was a joke. Two one dimensional offenses.

    Whoregon puts 40 on LSU.

    West By God Virginia puts 21 on LSU.

    And yet the most greatest team ever asembled coached by the greatest coach ever born can only manage 6 points.

    A freakin media created joke.

    Boise State whoops both their asses.

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    • Red Blackman

      Whoregon puts 27 on LSU.

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      • Charles

        Agreed on all fronts, except for Boise whooping both asses. Those defenses were pretty stout. Can’t help be impressed with how well-coached and physical they are. But, game of the century…??!!?!? Whatevs.

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    • Puffdawg

      I don’t know, Red. I thought those two defenses were just that good. Damn those teams were physical. What a fun game to watch. I think if you look at those offenses outside of that game, they’ve performed well.

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      • Red Blackman

        No defense is that good, Puff.

        They both played scared to lose.

        Alabama has beaten Arkansas and who else?

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        • Puffdawg

          Penn St

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          • Mayor of Dawgtown

            Who has Penn State beaten? The only team of consequence Penn State has played was Bama and the Nittany Lions lost that game.

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        • Puffdawg

          Maybe you’re right. But I think we watched the two best teams in the country last night.

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          • Russ

            In my mind, I saw clearly the two best teams in the country, mainly due to their defenses. They would beat anyone else easily. I thought it was a great game.

            On a related note, our defensive resurgence is why I’m so bulling on the Dawgs for this year and next. A stout defense can make up for a whole lot of problems elsewhere.

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    • Biggus Rickus

      Really? The two best defenses in the country shut down two good but not great offenses. It went more or less how I expected it to go. Both teams have proven throughout the season they can score enough points against good competition.

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      • Red Blackman

        Good competition?

        LSU has played a couple of good teams.

        Alabama has played Arkansas and Penn State. That’s it……..unless you count Kent State, North Texas, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Vandy and Florida as good teams.

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        • Biggus Rickus

          Well then who the fuck ever plays anyone worth a damn? They put 38 on Arkansas (holding them to 14) and 27 on a good Penn State defense. They’ve averaged 37 points a game. I don’t think Tennessee, Vandy and Florida are good teams, but putting 30+ points on all of them is still an accomplishment. I’m not arguing their offense is awesome, but it doesn’t suck. And their lack of success last night had far more to do with LSU than Alabama’s deficiencies.

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          • Red Blackman

            Penn State has a good defense while playing Indiana State, Temple, Eastern Michigan and Indiana. When playing Alabama, Purdue and Northwestern……not so much.

            My point was simple. They play an easier schedule than we do without hearing all the ….”easiest schedule in the SEC bullshit”

            The Gumps have played two good teams and went 1-1 against them. We played two good teams went 0-2….so yeah, I guess they really are much better than UGA.

            Believe whatever you like, man.

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            • Biggus Rickus

              It has nothing to do with them being much better than Georgia. Your post suggested that LSU and Alabama aren’t very good, when in fact they are. If Georgia gets to play LSU and beats them it will be a major achievement. Don’t prematurely undercut it because you’re pissed Georgia is being disrespected.

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        • The Lone Stranger

          Penn State is a mirage.

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    • almightytmc1

      Lets talk perception vs. Reality.
      A couple of squares back Bama walked between the hedges against a number one ranked Georgia team. That game was never close. Bama stunned a very good Bulldog team that day. Well, and to put it bluntly, that Bama team was the little brother of this year’s Bama team. This years Bama team has some offensive firepower. About 38 points a game. And a defense that makes that Bama team from yesteryear look soft in comparison. And other perception. Nick Saban runs up the score. Well… not really. Truth is Nick Saban’s 3rd and fourth string players get a ton of playing time in the last half of the game.
      One catch/interception call that could have went either way,
      A field goal kickers worst night ever.
      The wind blows 2 miles an hour faster. Bama would have won it. They should have won it and very well (even in overtime) could have won it. But they did not. Hats off to LSU. But make no mistake. It was SEC football. Smashmouth Brutal and Defense oriented. And there is not another team in this country who can beat either of those two teams. I like the direction Georgia is headed into. But for the love of God I feel bad for you guys if Bama or LSU go to the SECCG. In 47 years of watching the game I have never seen two more physical teams. Remember the Cocktail Party. Yep. Ithought you did. Bama and LSU beat that other team (the lounge liizards) like (pardon the pun) dogs. I would hazard to guess they still havent lost that ability.
      But I can also see something is starting to happen for UGA, and the future is looking bright. It probably wont be this year. But your day is coming.

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  6. TennesseeDawg

    What’s going to happen to the NC picture after Georgia upsets LSU in the SEC Championship?

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    • AthensHomerDawg

      The refs will be on hand to insure that that doesn’t happen.

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      • H-Town Dawg

        No doubt! The powers that be can’t let the Junkyard Dawgs tarnish the SEC’s brand by ruining any chance of a 6th consecutive BSC title.

        If UGA winning the SEC championship costs the league a national title shot then I’m 100% okay with that! Dawgs against the world!!!

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        • Cojones

          Great “let’s get their butts” posts today. Posted before and now repeat;they put on their britches the same as we do. Negative rants have put a psychological fix on cheering for the Dawgs. There isn’t anything in the way of us beating those minature king kongs except our minds. This team will get after anyone in their way from here on out and are capable and can blow the ESPN hyped up teams the hell out.

          Sic’em Dawgs!!

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    • Biggus Rickus

      Dogs and cats living together! Mass hysteria!

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    • Russ

      Let’s beat Auburn first. I’m willing to overlook Kentucky, however.

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  7. DawgPhan

    That Saban team sure didnt look that prepared regardless of how regimented and structured their schedule was. Miles was clearly the better coach in that game and it wasnt even close.

    And both of those teams are without a QB. I would feel very good about our chances in Dome against either of those teams. Our defense is nearly as good and our offense is light years better.

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    • Bryant Denny

      For the record, before the game Bama’s offense was ranked 1st in the conference. I wouldn’t exactly say your offense is light years ahead when you’ve essentially beaten similar league teams by lesser margins.

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      • Russ

        I agree with BD. If Bama has a kicker last night, they win. Other than that, it was two heavyweights slugging it out. It played out just like I figured (low scoring, two strong defenses).

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      • almightytmc1

        BD is spot on. Make no mistake and harbor no illusions. Those two teams that played were just plain otherworldly. I am thinking planet of the apes/planet crypton.

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  8. Mayor of Dawgtown

    Both Bama and LSU have great defenses but little offense. I’m encouraged as a Georgia fan. UGA has a great defense and a pretty good offense. Those who were saying that the winner of the SEC East would get dusted easily by the winner of the SEC West were talking about South Carolina (see results of the USCe-Arkansas game as Exhibit “1”) not Georgia. Keep on winning Dawgs and try to stay under the radar. I like your chances in the SECCG better and better with each passing day. This is similar to 2006 when the media built up Ohio State and Michigan to mythic proportions and we all know now how that turned out.

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  9. Will Trane

    Blair Walsh. You have peer company on the Bama squad. But Saban and his OC looked like CMR. That is about as poor of a set of plays you can have in OT sitting on the 25 with your home crowd. As a coach you have to know you may not have confidence in your kicking game. Bama, LSU took you to school in the kicking game.
    But Bama you had company in South Carolina. Do you think the OBC puts in a call to CMR about the play of special teams and kickoff coverage. That return put the Hawgs in play…huge.
    Carlton Thomas. Nine games. And you have been suspended for two of them. Now in the real world of business and not higher education…no employer would continue to pay you for missing work like that. Your coach says the suspension is about love and manhood. In the real world it is about getting the job done. In the real world you would have ticketed with a pink slip for missing that kind of work and getting paid for it. But you have some teammates that are mature and understand the real world.

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  10. Sanford222View

    I will say I am glad LSU won this game. I think Georgia matches up better against LSU because Bama’s defense is better that LSU’s to me. Don’t get me wrong. LSU’s is scary good too but I think Bama’s is better.

    Plus, now Arkansas is still alive if they can upset LSU to win the West.

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    • Biggus Rickus

      I think Georgia can move the ball o some extent on either of them. I do think Bama plays better pass defense, which is surprising given LSU’s talent in the secondary.

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  11. Matt

    Have to get some opinions on this play. It looked to me like Reid took the ball away from the receiver after they had hit the ground. I was thinking Alabama ball at the 5 b/c the play was over before the defender wrested it away. However, no one else seems to think that so was I imagining this or do I not understand the rules? That play could easily mean the difference between winning and losing.

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    • Biggus Rickus

      It was close, but on the replay angle from the end zone it looked to me like Reid had started to take the ball away before they hit the ground.

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      • Cojones

        I kept looking closely on the replays and saw him down(his shoulder) and a tie before it was a wrestling match. Tie ball goes to the O. Many saw the same thing that you did, Matt. Was aghast that Bama didn’t raise hell about it.

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        • Mayor of Dawgtown

          You are right about the rule senor. It looked like dual possession when they hit the ground and the LSU defender wrestled the ball away from the Bama receiver after they were on the ground. I replayed it several times and it was that way every time.

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    • Silver Creek Dawg

      I thought I saw the ball moving as the two players were landing on the turf. If I’m right, then it becomes a wrestling match and the refs called it correctly. That being said, no matter which way the refs ruled, the call would have stood; no way there was enough video evidence to overturn either way.

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    • First thing to remember was it was called an interception on the field so the booth needs irrefutable evidence that the ref got it wrong…a high standard and while I agree that the ball was stripped AFTER the receiver hit the ground I think the booth thought it was possible the receiver was bobbling the ball,lacked possession ,on the way to the ground. So probably a bad call but I understand why it wasn’t overturned

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    • BenG

      I thought the ball ended up with the right team, though I’m not sure “interception” is exactly the right call. It looked to me like the receiver had possession while in the air, lost possession before he hit the ground, and the defender gained possession on the ground. Interception? Catch and fumble? Either way, I think it ended up with the right team.

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    • Russ

      I thought they called it correctly, and it was the play of the game, obviously. Just a huge play and effort by the DB.

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  12. Sam

    I think that Alabama has a slightly better defense than LSU, but the kicking game caught up with them last night. I’d rather the Dawgs played LSU than Alabama in the Dome – both LSU and ‘Bama have great defenses, but Alabama’s defense hurts people as well as stopping them. LSU’s defense seems a little less superhuman.

    I just hope we get the job done against Auburn! You know they’re going to be motivated to keep us out of Atlanta. I think we’re going to be motivated by thoughts of Fairley cheap shotting Murray and that sorry POS Trooper Taylor waving towels over it.

    I don’t know how well I like our chances against LSU, but I sure would like having a chance in the first place.

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  13. JaxDawg

    BEAT AUBURN!

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  14. BEAT AUBURN–lets win out and see how it plays out–the 25 teams that want CMR-will not get him–Folks did you see how Saban conducted himself on the sideline? Is that a man you would want your son to play for ?

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  15. Bryant Denny

    Hey Dawgs –

    Went to the game last night. From my side it was hard to say it was a classic game, but maybe the general public will.

    Regardless of Bama’s schedule (or lack thereof), they were ranked first in the league in offense before the game and second after. They didn’t play well last night – a credit to LSU’s defense, lack of execution and perhaps game plan.

    Many so-called experts predicted the special teams would be the difference – and they were right this time. That’s not really a shock to me…Bama’s kicking game has suspect for a while now. Games like this one tend to highlight the obvious.

    We also don’t have a breakaway, game-changing wideout and that’s a big deal. You find out how much you miss a guy like Julio in games like these.

    Have a good one,

    BD

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  16. Russ

    Let’s just beat Auburn and Yech, then we can worry about how we’ll whip the west. Personally, I still think I saw the two best teams in the country last night. Not saying we couldn’t upset them, but it would take a huge effort to do so. I was there when we beat the “unbeatable” Texas team 10-9 in the Cotton Bowl, so anything can happen.

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  17. Reality Check

    There are a lot of people that appear to be a little too hyped. Remember how Boise State throttled our offense? Same thing would happen but worse. With our offensive line, we would have a hard time scoring 10 points against either of defenses; they would be in the backfield as soon as the ball is snapped. Other than Orson Charles, I’m not sure there is a single matchup that we would be favored. A troop of freshmen RBs and WRs against the best couple of defenses in the country? I would be happy if our QB and RB could walk after the first quarter. We’re just too young and thin up front to beat either one of these teams, i don’t care what our defense does. I love our guys and think that they have improved, but let’s not get out of hand.

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