re: Alabama showing that ND might actually give them a good game?

It came down to the last play b/c of Bama's mistakes and UGA's special teams play.

I would grade Bama's play as maybe a C+...was not their best game by far. Probably their next to worst played game of the year...and they still won.

For teams to beat Bama...Bama has to first beat themselves...and they nearly did last night.
Bama was the team making the overwhelming majority of the mistakes. This game shouldn't have been close. Bama shut down UGA's run game, and Bama ran all over their defense.
This should have been more of a 35-14 Bama type game.

And if you're argument is that Bama is predictable...of course they are.
Everyone Bama has played knows they are going to pound the ball, play-action pass, intermediate routes and the occassional deep ball.

But no one has stopped it yet. ND will be maybe the 3rd or 4th best defense Bama has played this year...and maybe the 8th or 9th best offense best offense Bama has played.

Bama, by far, will be the best offense and defense ND has seen.

Plus ND has a freshman QB.