#1 LSU vs. #2 Alabama 

(Alabama 21- LSU 0) 

BCS National Championship Game Recap

1. Defensive Game- The defense of the Alabama Crimson Tide played lights out football against LSU. They dominated LSU from the very beginning of the ball game. The Tide's defense coming into this game only gave up 191.3 yards per game to the opposition. Against LSU, the defense surrendered on 92 yards of total offense to the LSU Tigers. Along with that, the defense forced two fumbles and a interception. Alabama's dominant defense basically did not allow LSU to get into a rhythm at all.  Courtney Upshaw and Jerrell Harris led the defense with 7 tackles each, but C.J. Mosley came up with a huge interception which changed the coarse of the game. The defense held LSU's top receiver Reuben Randell to just three receptions for 13 yards.  With this electrifying performance, the Bama defense earned an A+ and congratulations to Head Coach Nick Saban and Defensive Coordinator Kirby Smart on a job well done preparing them.

2. Special Teams- The special teams of the Alabama Crimson Tide impressed me greatly by the confidence they played with against LSU. The kicking game who missed 4 field goals in the last game against LSU; which was played on Nov. 5 made up for that in third game. Jeremy Shelley came up huge making five of his seven field goals .  Even the kickoff coverage for Bama was magnificent, as they held the LSU returners  from getting pass the 20-yard line and Cody Mandell did an awesome job punting the ball away from Tyrann Matheiu negating him an opportunity to create a spark for LSU. For their outstanding play, the special teams of the Alabama Crimson Tide earned an A.

3. Aerial Attack- The passing game of the Alabama Crimson Tide blew me completely away. A.J. McCarron seemed as if he was dialed into the game from the first snap. The offensive line did an amazing job protecting him, McCarron was only sacked two times. Give Offensive Coordinator Jim McElwain a lot of credit, his scheme of rolling McCarron out of the pocket away from the pressure was really a golden move. With this McCarron was able to make short completions, which in return boost his confidence. A.J.McCarron was ever so calm, poised, and confident in the pocket, in this game he read the coverages well and he guided the team down the field. His overall numbers were, he was 23 of 34 (68% passes completed) for 234 yards zero touchdowns and zero interceptions. The main objective was that McCarron managed the game well and he kept his team in position to win the game. A.J. McCarron has earned an A+ for the confidence and the way he played against LSU.

4. Ground Game- The rushing attack of the Alabama Crimson Tide started off a little slow, but came up big in the game against LSU. Give the offensive line credit again, they did open up some holes for Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy to run through. Trent Richardson had a fine game, although he started off a bit slow he ended with a bang. He led the team in rushing with 20 carries for 96 yards and a touchdown that basically sealed the deal on the game. Eddie Lacy had a nice game as well, he had 11 carries for 43 yards. For this performance the running game of the Alabama Crimson Tide earned an A.

* For the third year in the row, the state of Alabama has carried home the BCS National Title. For the 2nd time the trophy returns to Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Great Job by Coach Saban and the Tide, they are the 2012 National Champions. *

#2 Alabama vs. #24 Auburn (Iron Bowl) 

(Alabama 42-Auburn 14)

SEC Game Recap

1. Defensive Game- The defense of the Alabama Crimson Tide played a lights out game this week against the Auburn Tigers and earned an A+ in their outstanding effort. The defense gave up only 76 yards rushing to Auburn and just 62 yards passing to the Tigers. The Tide defense was able to get pressure on Clint Moseley and Kiehl Frazier, and forced two sacks. The defense also forced two turnovers; one being a DeMarcus Milliner interception that was returned 35 yards for a touchdown. Dont'a Hightower led the team in defense today with nine tackles. A great job done by Coach Saban, Def. Coordinator Kirby Smart, and the Crimson Tide on the win against their rival.

2. Special Teams- The special teams game of the Alabama Crimson Tide played a nice game this week against the Tigers, and earned an A- in their effort. Cabe Foster did a pretty good job in kicking today, as kicked two touchbacks which forced Auburn to drive the ball down the field. Jeremy Shelley did a terrific job of making the two field goals that were required of him to make. The one flaw that I saw in the game on special teams, was when Auburn's Ontario McCalebb took an 83-yard kick for a touchdown. On that play, the Tide's special teams refused to stay in their lanes. This will be an aspect of the game that the Tide must improve on if they want to win their bowl game.

3. Ground Game- The rushing attack of the Alabama Crimson Tide played a picture perfect game against the Auburn Tigers. Give the offensive line credit in this game, they provided the holes and lanes for Trent Richardson to run through and make some big time plays. Believe it or not, Trent Richardson is well on his way to a Heisman Trophy. Trent Richardson led the team in rushing with 27 carries for 203 yards and a touchdown reception. Richardson's most electrifying run which may have solidified his Heisman hopes was a 57 yard run, in which he stiff-armed a defender. Jalston Fowler, in the time that he was in the game, carried the ball one time for fifteen yards and a touchdown. The running game did an excellent job today and earned an A+ today in the win.

4. Aerial Attack- The passing game of the Alabama Crimson Tide did a magnificent job this week against the Tigers, and earned a well deserved A+ in the effort. Once again, give the offense line credit they protected AJ McCarron well; only giving up one sack in the game. McCarron did an outstanding job in managing the game, he was accurate and precise, he was poised and confident in the pocket, and most importantly he kept his eyes down field. His numbers overall in the game were, he went 18 of 23 (78% passes completed) for 184 yards and three touchdowns. He did not throw an interception in this game. Great job by McCarron and Off. Coordinator Jim McElwain for dialing up excellent plays in this one.

* Any win is a good win, but when you beat your arch rival, that win becomes much more significant. Great job Alabama Roll TIDE!!!!!* 

#3 Alabama vs. Georgia Southern 

(#3 Alabama 45-Georgia Southern 21)

Game Recap (Senior Day)

1. Aerial Attack- The passing game of the Alabama Crimson Tide played well this week against Georgia Southern and seems to be back on track. Give the Tide's offensive line credit for the most part, AJ McCarron was not sacked at all during the game. As for McCarron, it seemed like in this game he went back to the player that we have become used to seeing. He was confident and poised in the pocket, his reads and throws were on point, and seemed like once again he was back in control on the offense. McCarron's numbers in the game were very efficient, he was 14 of 19(74% passes completed) for 190 yards three touchdowns and zero interceptions. Tight end Brad Smelley, was on the receiving end of two of the three touchdown passes thrown by McCarron. AJ McCarron earned an A+ this week against Georgia Southern by basically going back to what he does best, and that is managing the game and getting the Tide into a position to win.

2. Ground Game- The rushing attack of the Alabama Crimson Tide played a good game this week against Georgia Southern. Once again for the most part, give the offensive line credit for opening up holes for Trent Richardson to run through and gain yards. Trent Richardson led the team in rushing, he carried the ball 32 times for 175 yards and two touchdowns . He averaged almost six yards per carry. He also was on the receiving end of a touchdown. With this performance, Trent Richardson has 20 rushing touchdowns this year. Also, with this performance Tent Richardson's Heisman hopes are still pretty high. Richardson on the day, earned an A+ on a job well done.

3. Defensive Game- The defense of the Alabama Crimson Tide disappointed me a little this week against Georgia Southern. For a defense that at one point in time only gave up 39.4 yards per game on the ground, was not prepared for the Eagles' triple-option attack. Georgia Southern racked up over 300 yards rushing, this very uncharacteristic for an SEC defense especially Alabama who pride themselves on stopping the run. Overall though the defense deserves a B-; the reason for this is even though they were gashed in the running game, they still were able to make the big stops when they needed them. One of the big plays happened to be a blocked field goal by Courtney Upshaw, and Dre' Kirkpatrick picks up the ball and returns it 55 yards for a touchdown.

4. Special Teams- The special teams game of the Alabama Crimson Tide still have some more work to do, but on the bright side they played a little better this week against Georgia Southern. Short Kicker, Jeremy Shelley made a clutch 32-yard field goal in which gave the Tide a 3-0 lead early in the game. Although Cabe Foster missed his field goal, he did an outstanding job on his kickoffs. Foster kicked two touch-backs. The flaw on special teams happened to be the kickoff coverage, they gave up an 82-yard kick return for a touchdown. Kickoff coverage has got to be more discipline and stay in their lanes. Overall, the special teams earned a C this week against Georgia Southern.

* A win is always a good result for the last home game of the season. Congratulations, to the Tide's senior class for playing big today.* 

Final Score: Alabama 24-Miss. State 7

1. Defense- The defensive game of the Alabama Crimson Tide played an awesome game this week against the Mississippi State Bulldogs and earned an A+ in their victorious effort. The defense held Mississippi State to just 12 yards rushing, and they did not give up a score until late 4th quarter. Dont'a Hightower led the team in tackles with twelve, Mark Barron was next in line behind him with nine. Another great job by Defensive Coordinator Kirby Smart and the Crimson Tide defense.

2. Special Teams- The special teams performance of the Alabama Crimson Tide still struggled a bit this week against the Miss St. Bulldogs. It seems as if they have not gotten over the troubles that they had in the LSU game. Despite the troubles, the special teams still performed well enough to earn a C-. The reason why they earned a C- this week is because, Jeremy Shelley stepped up and made his field goal. Hopefully with better field position and if Alabama can move the ball more offensively, the kicking game will improve.

3. Ground Game- The running game of the Alabama Crimson Tide played a good game this week against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Give the Bulldog defense credit though, they made the Tide earn every yard that they got on the ground. Trent Richardson led the team in rushing, he had 32 carries for 127 yards and a touchdown. He averaged four yards per carry. With this performance, Richardson's Heisman opportunity is still very much alive, also he is a one of the semi-finalist for the Doak Walker Award. He counterpart Eddie Lacy, had a great game on the ground himself. He carried the ball 11 times for 96 yards and two touchdowns.Great job by the Alabama ground game for getting the job done.

4. Aerial Attack- The passing game of the Alabama Crimson Tide, still struggled a bit against the Mississippi Bulldogs. Give the offensive line credit, they did a great job protecting McCarron up front as he was not sacked at all in this game. In this game, AJ McCarron still seemed a little rattled in the pocket. On the interception he threw, he did not look off the defensive back and then to make matters worse, he threw the ball into double coverage. His numbers in the game were okay, but could have been better and not his best performance. McCarron went 14 of  24(58% of passes completed) for 163 yards zero touchdowns and one interception. Despite the one miscue, McCarron still earned a C in this because he managed the game and kept his team in position to win. Although the win was not pretty, it is still better to a have a W at the end of the game than an L.

*Another win for the Tide, which puts them at 9-1(6-1 in SEC Play) I would not count Alabama out of the BCS National Championship race just yet. Roll Tide!!!* 

Final Score: Alabama 24-Miss. State 7

1. Defense- The defensive game of the Alabama Crimson Tide played an awesome game this week against the Mississippi State Bulldogs and earned an A+ in their victorious effort. The defense held Mississippi State to just 12 yards rushing, and they did not give up a score until late 4th quarter. Dont'a Hightower led the team in tackles with twelve, Mark Barron was next in line behind him with nine. Another great job by Defensive Coordinator Kirby Smart and the Crimson Tide defense.

2. Special Teams- The special teams performance of the Alabama Crimson Tide still struggled a bit this week against the Miss St. Bulldogs. It seems as if they have not gotten over the troubles that they had in the LSU game. Despite the troubles, the special teams still performed well enough to earn a C-. The reason why they earned a C- this week is because, Jeremy Shelley stepped up and made his field goal. Hopefully with better field position and if Alabama can move the ball more offensively, the kicking game will improve.

3. Ground Game- The running game of the Alabama Crimson Tide played a good game this week against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Give the Bulldog defense credit though, they made the Tide earn every yard that they got on the ground. Trent Richardson led the team in rushing, he had 32 carries for 127 yards and a touchdown. He averaged four yards per carry. With this performance, Richardson's Heisman opportunity is still very much alive, also he is a one of the semi-finalist for the Doak Walker Award. He counterpart Eddie Lacy, had a great game on the ground himself. He carried the ball 11 times for 96 yards and two touchdowns.Great job by the Alabama ground game for getting the job done.

4. Aerial Attack- The passing game of the Alabama Crimson Tide, still struggled a bit against the Mississippi Bulldogs. Give the offensive line credit, they did a great job protecting McCarron up front as he was not sacked at all in this game. In this game, AJ McCarron still seemed a little rattled in the pocket. On the interception he threw, he did not look off the defensive back and then to make matters worse, he threw the ball into double coverage. His numbers in the game were okay, but could have been better and not his best performance. McCarron went 14 of  24(58% of passes completed) for 163 yards zero touchdowns and one interception. Despite the one miscue, McCarron still earned a C in this because he managed the game and kept his team in position to win. Although the win was not pretty, it is still better to a have a W at the end of the game than an L. 

*Another win for the Tide, which puts them at 9-1(6-1 in SEC Play) I would not count Alabama out of the BCS National Championship race just yet. Roll Tide!!!* 

1.   Rushing Attack:

               The running game of the Alabama Crimson Tide played an OK game this week against LSU. It wasn’t  their best game due to the fact that the offense couldn't open up enough holes for Trent Richardson to run through.

               Give the LSU defense credit, they had a game plan ready, especially to stop Richardson. Although he did not score a touchdown, Richardson still earned a B+ in this game. He led the team in rushing with 23 carries for 89 yards. He averaged four yards per carry. At the receiving end, he had a big game. He caught five passes for 80 yards. Though Richardson's Heisman status is hanging by a thread now, I still would not count him out of the race because there are three games left.

2.   Aerial Attack:

               The passing game of the Alabama Crimson Tide disappointed me greatly this week against LSU. Once again, give the LSU defenders credit for playing great coverage on our receivers. AJ McCarron earned a D this week for his play against LSU.

               McCarron, who at the beginning of the season was poised, confident and making excellent reads in the passing game, took a step back this week against LSU. In this game, he was pressing his passes too much He was not focused on the field, which led to a lot of missed throws and an interception which changed the tempo of the game. Although he made some good throws down the field, and used his checks downs wisely, he is still not ready to handle the pressures of a big time game just yet. His numbers overall were 16-28 (58 percent passes completed) for 199 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception.

3.   Defense:

               The defensive game of the Alabama Crimson Tide did a remarkable job this week against the LSU Tigers. The Tide defense earned an A-. Although the defense gave up 148 yards rushing, which is way above their season average, they still held LSU to zero touchdowns in the game. They forced two LSU turnovers and gave their passing game fits. Great job by Defensive Coordinator Kirby Smart and the Tide defense.

4.   Special Teams:

              The special teams of the Alabama Crimson Tide basically gave the game away this week. The special teams earned an F, because Cade Foster could not make field goals. If you want to be successful in the SEC you have got to get points when you get the opportunity, and the special teams failed to do that. 

1. Ground Game- The running game of the Alabama Crimson Tide played a nice game and earned a B+ this week against Tennessee. Despite the offensive line's slow start up front, they were able to open some holes for Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy to run through. Trent Richardson, for just the second game this season, was held under 100 yards rushing. Even in that though, he still managed to add two more touchdown runs to his Heisman statistics resume' which gives him 17 touchdowns for the season. Eddie Lacy did not receive much playing time, due to the fact that he is recovering from a turf toe injury. In the chances that he did see the field, Lacy carried the seven times for 46 yards and averaged 6.6 yards per carry. The Tide struggled in the first half, but give credit to Coach Saban, his staff, and the football team for coming out strong in the second-half to pull off the 37-6 win against the Volunteers.

2. Aerial Attack- The passing game of the Alabama Crimson Tide earned a B+ this week against Tennessee. Give the offensive line credit, they protected McCarron allowing only one sack in the game. I felt that in the first half of this game, AJ McCarron was trying to too much. He was thinking too hard and not reacting quick enough to throw the football when he had an open man down field. In the second half though; he started to return to his old self and that being he was making good reads, he threw accurate passes down the field and he dissected the Volunteer defense down well.  McCarron's numbers overall were pretty good, he went 17-26(65% passes completed) for 284 yards, two touchdowns (including a rushing touchdown) and a interception. Jim McElwain did a wonderful job in having faith in McCarron to make smart decisions with the football, even after he threw the interception. 

3. Defense- The defensive game of the Alabama Crimson Tide played a great game this week against Tennessee and earned an A+. The Tide's defense held the Volunteers to 96 yards rushing. Although this is not their normal run stop average,(allowing only 34 yards per) game) when your defense can hold another SEC offense to under 100 yards rushing, you are doing a great job. The defense forced two turnovers and also held Tennessee to just six points. A job well done by Defensive Coordinator Kirby Smart and the Alabama Defense. Give Tennessee credit, they challenged us early but the Tide roll on to win 36-7 over the Volunteers.

* It seems as if the BCS National Championship will come down to Saturday, Nov.5 when #1 LSU comes to Tuscaloosa* Roll Tide!!!! 

1.   Ground Game:

               The running game of the Alabama Crimson Tide did a phenomenal job this week against Mississippi. The Tide's running game earned an A+ this week in every phase of the game. The offensive line did a wonderful job of blocking and providing the backs with massive running lanes to go through.

               Trent Richardson had another career game on the ground this week. He carried 17 times for 183 yards and four touchdowns, including a highlight-reel 76-yard touchdown run in which he maked one man miss and he shakes and bakes the other man into the endzone. He averaged 10.8 yards per carry. In this game, he also tied former Alabama running back Shaun Alexander for the most 100-yard rushing games in a season. If Richardson is not at the forefront of the Heisman List, then with this performance he may garner himself a little more recognition.            Jalston Fowler followed right behind Richardson and turned in an excellent game as well. He carried the ball nine times for 125 yards and two touchdowns, including a 69-yard burst up the middle of the field for a touchdown. He averaged 14 yards per carry.

               Blake Sims got the opportunity to see some game time and he did not disappoint. He carried the ball five times for 74 yards and averaged 15 yards per carry. The Tide totaled 389 yards rushing.  Overall, it was a great job by the running game and the offensive line.

2.   Aerial Attack:

               The passing game did a great job this week of managing the game well and putting the team in a position to win against Mississippi. The passing game earned an A+ this week in the realm of being poised and confident in the pocket, making reads and accurate throws, and being efficient. The offensive line did a tremendous job up front protecting AJ McCarron, he was sacked one time in the game.

               For many people who have had doubts about McCarron, he is proving that he can work and do well in this system. He is getting more confident and stronger in every game and he is starting to feel his rhythm. In the game, his numbers were very efficient. He went 19-24 (79 percent passes completed) for 224 yards and a touchdown, which was the 10-yard strike to Brandon Gibson. Great job by McCarron and Offensive Coordinator Jim McElwain for drawing up some excellent plays in this one.

3.   Defense:

               The defensive game did an awesome job and earned an A+ this week. The defense was able to hold Mississippi to just 28 yards rushing; this is huge because when you can shut down an opponent's running game it forces them to become one-dimensional and in most cases that doesn't pan out very well.

               The defense also did an outstanding job getting to the quarterback, as they sacked Mississippi quarterback Randall Mackey five times. The Tide defense also forced two turnovers and held Mississippi to just seven points. Great job by Coach Saban, Defensive Coordinator Kirby Smart and the tough Bama defense.

The only flaw that I saw in the game was the kickoff coverage: they have got to get down the field faster and tackle the opponents before they reach the 35-40 yard line.

1. Ground Game- The running game of the Alabama Crimson Tide just did a phenomenal job this week against Mississippi. The Tide's running game earned an A+ this week in every phase of the game. The offensive line did a wonderful job of blocking up front and providing the backs with massive running lanes to go through. Trent Richardson had another career game on the ground this week. He carried the 17 times for 183 yards and four touchdowns, including a 76-yard touchdown run in which he makes one man miss and he shakes and bakes the other man into the endzone. He averaged 10.8 yards per carry; which equals a huge game in my opinion. In this game, he also tied former Alabama running back Shaun Alexander for the most 100-yard rushing games in a season. If Richardson is not at the forefront of the Heisman List, then with this performance he has just displayed may give him a little more recognition. Jalston Fowler, followed right behind Richardson and turned in an excellent game as well. He carried the ball 9 times for 125 yards and two touchdowns, including a 69-yard burst up the middle of the field for a touchdown. He averaged 14 yards per carry. Blake Sims even got the opportunity to see some gametime and he did not disappoint. He carried the ball 5 times for 74 yards and averaged 15 yards per carry. The Tide totaled 389 yards rushing.  In the all and all, great job by the running game and the offensive line of Alabama!!!

2. Aerial Attack- The passing game of the Alabama Crimson Tide did a great job this week of managing the game well and putting the team in position to win against Mississippi. The passing game earned an A+ this week in the realm of being poised and confident in the pocket, making reads and accurate throws, and being efficient. The offensive line did a tremendous job up front protecting AJ McCarron, he was sacked only 1 time in the game. For many people that have had doubts about AJ McCarron, he is proving that he can work and do well in this system. He is getting more confident and stronger in every game and he is starting to feel his rhythm. In the game, McCarron's numbers were very efficient. He went 19-24(79% passes completed) for 224 yards and a touchdown; which was the 10-yard strike to Brandon Gibson. Great job by McCarron and Offensive Coordinator Jim McElwain for drawing up some excellent plays in this one!!!

3. Defense- The defensive game of the Alabama Crimson Tide did an awesome job an earned an A+ this week. The defense was able to hold Mississippi to just 28 yards rushing, this is huge because when you can shut down an opponents running game it forces them to become one-dimensional and in most cases that doesn't pan out very well. The defense also did an outstanding job getting to the quarterback, as they sacked Mississippi quarterback Randall Mackey 5 times. The Tide defense also forced two turnovers and held Mississippi to just 7 points. Great job by Coach Saban, Def. Coordinator Kirby Smart, and that tough Bama defense.

The only flaw that I saw in the game was the kickoff coverage, they have got to get down the field faster and tackle the opponents before they reach the 35-40 yard line.

*Overall great win for Bama as they go to 7-0(4-0 in SEC Play)* 

*Be sure to catch the BCS Rankings, as they go out on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011* 

1. Rushing Attack- The running game of the Alabama Crimson Tide played well and earned an A this week. The offensive line once again stepped up when they had to and opened up holes for Trent Richardson, Jalston Fowler, and Blake Sims to run through and gain positive yards. Trent Richardson led the Tide in rushing with 19 carries for 107 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 5.6 yards per carry. He know has 11 rushing touchdowns and he has rushed for over 100 yards for the fifth game this season. Jalston Fowler had a pretty good game also, he carried the ball 13 times for 58 yards. The offensive line and the back of Alabama did a great job in the win against Vandy. What a way to end homecoming here in Tuscaloosa!!! Great job Coach Saban and the Tide running game.

2. Aerial Attack- The passing game of the Alabama Crimson Tide really impressed me today and earned an A+ this week. The offensive line did a good job protecting AJ McCarron, he was only sacked once in the game. McCarron's confidence and poise is growing with each week and this is awesome, because when you have a confident quarterback everything tends to go better for you. McCarron in this game was very comfortable in the pocket, he made great reads, and he threw some accurate passes down the field. In this game, McCarron was very efficient going 23-30(70% passes completed) for 237 yards and 4 touchdown passes. The receivers had a big game as well, Marquis Maze, DeAndrew White, and Brad Smelley all caught touchdown passes from McCarron. Tremendous job by McCarron and the Tide receiving core. Jim McElwain also did a great job at drawing up the plays in the game.

3. Defense- The defense of the Alabama Crimson Tide played well this week and earned an A. The defensive line did a great job against the run holding Vandy to just 41 yards rushing. The Tide defense forced two turnovers and held Vandy off the scoreboard. Dont'a Hightower, Robert Lester, and Mark Barron did a great job tackling today. They combined for 15 tackles. Great job by the Tide defense and Defensive Coordinator Kirby Smart as well as Coach Saban.

* Alabama is 6-0 (3-0 in SEC Play) What a way to end homecoming on a good note!!!!!*