Posted on 11/11/2018 8:14:56 AM PST by blam
Call it what you will, but this game against Mississippi was a war. They gave Alabama their toughest challenge so far this season, especially the tough Bulldog defense. And in this game, Alabama won, but didn’t look great in doing it.
For the comfort of the Mississippi State fans, an objective writer must admit that Miss. State was not just playing Alabama, but the refs. Two critical mistakes could have made the game more exciting and perhaps made the game much closer. The first was was Damien Harris’ no called fumble that clearly was a fumble and the second was a phantom block in the back call that was missed taking a sure score off the board for the Bulldogs.
Now neither of these calls cost State the game, Alabama would have won had these calls gone the Dog’s way. If you’re objective you have to admit this too, so while State was robbed of those two calls, clearly the refs did not cost them the game. Still it would have made Alabama’s win a little less lopsided and made them look a little worse.
Now while to some it may seem foolish to say that Alabama didn’t look great in a 24-0 win over the nation’s #15 team, it didn’t look great by the standard which Alabama has set for itself. They have averaged over 500 yards offense in every game, well except for this one where they managed just 305 yards. Tua, who has looked like a perfectly programmed robot for much of the season proved that he is indeed human after all. He threw an interception, a dreadful looking one, had a fumble to boot and proved that he can be hurt and yes, he does bleed.
Tua had been averaging over 262 yards a game against teams so far this season, but managed just 164 against the Dogs in longer than usual playing time. He’s averaged three touchdown passes a game, but in this one he just got just one.
As for the nation’s deepest pool of running backs, Alabama has averaged over 242 yards a game against all teams, but against the Dog’s defense, gained just 142.
Lastly on Alabama’s so so night on offense, so far this season they’ve averaged over 58% in converting third downs. That led the nation. On Saturday against the Dogs, Alabama converted just 4 our of 12 for a less than stellar 33.3% conversion rate.
What did look good was the Alabama defense, though aided in part by refs, they did manage to pitch another shut out and make sure that Miss. State was really never in a position to threaten the Tide for the win.
Overall, Alabama still looked tired from their war with LSU and it was obvious that Tua entered the game far from 100% healthy. If Alabama was wise, they’d rest him against the Citadel team, who they could beat with a tuba player from the band playing quarterback. Better to risk a tuba than a Tua in a meaningless game where certain folks obviously need to heal.
While it will irk Nick Saban that writers like me are saying the Tide looked bad in a 24-0 win over a nationally ranked team, sadly it is the truth. With tougher games on the schedule coming up, this is either reason for concern or a wake up call for this Alabama team.
While shutout my Bullies kept the Tide to the lowest points scored all season. Sweat and Simmons will be playing on Sundays soon
Gump Community College had to CHEAT to beat THE Mississippi State University. The SEC front office is like Broward county.
Alabama fans didn't like it either...it taints the win.
There have been a lot of really bad calls this year. Maybe it’s just a matter of having better replays.
Well, along with Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band:
LOL
I went to Bama. But I am an occasional Ms State fan.
The fumble no call should have been challenged by Ms State. I don’t know if the second call could have been challenged. That flag should have been picked up after consultation with the other ref in the area of the block in the back. The one who called that may have thought he saw a block in the back. There was another ref on the other side who should have seen that it wasn’t even close. That also was a touchdown. Just bad bad officiating.
Excuse me
It was a SHUTOUT
second week in a row
If the other team doesn’t score a single point
It’s a dominating performance
I’ve seen worse. This is one of the worst calls I’ve sen this year:
I’m a Michigan alumnus though and I remember one incredibly bad call in the Rose Bowl before they had play review. Charles White fumbled the ball at about the 5 yard line but kept running into the end zone. A touch down was declared even though Michigan recovered the fumble at about the three yard line and the ball never crossed the goal line. Makes you tear your hair out.
“One of the reasons that I’m really not a fan of the playoffs.
I think the worst thing is that when a team is out of the picture, the fan interest drops precipitously.
The game after Florida lost to Georgia, there were thousands of empty seats for Florida’s next game against Missouri.
I liked it better the way it was before, when you could argue over who was the best team. Now College Football is just like the NFL. Gone are the traditions that made it great.”
From one Gator to another, I agree whole heartedly. It was much better when lots of teams could look forward to many great bowl games, and the arguing of who’s best could last till beginning of the next season and sometimes beyond.
I saw the game as two distinct halves. In the first half Alabama came out running when I think the Bulldogs were expecting them to ride Tua’s arm. They ran very well to set up timely Tua completions and build a three touchdown lead going into the half. But the Bulldogs made adjustments at halftime that stifled Bama’s ground game forcing them into third and long and numerous drive killing sacks. But the Bama defense combined with Bulldog mistakes and dubious calls by the officials kept the Dogs off the scoreboard.
2018 - Mississippi State Bulldogs At Alabama Crimson Tide In 30 Minutes
Only teams for sure could best The Crimson Borg play in Kansas City and Foxborough
And are skippered by Mahomes and Brady respectively
Maybe
Clemson nope
Irish....pfft
Yes agree. Pretty soon the national championship games will have “star studded halftime shows” with beer companies competing for ad time during the game.
Then he must have been ever so encouraging and positive when playing the one team he never beat . . . In four tries: 0-4.
Oops! The above post game with Saban is from the 2017 game, sorry.
The Army-Duke basketball game was pretty much the same. Army was withing 4-6 points with about 15 minutes left and then Duke started getting calls that weren’t fouls and Army players were being obviously fouled without whistles being blown.
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