Bama is built very much like USC was.

Despite all the passing flash...USC was a run-first power game...that focused on the D-line as their stars in disrupting an offense.

USC had great D-lines during their run...Big and powerful much like Bama.

USC dominated the Pac-12 back when it was a pure pass happy league...producing great QBs...and part of it's heritage...as the passing league back when the SEC was the running league...

It's a misnomer that up front completely destroys the spread Oregon attack...USC had that and couldn't destroy it.

Auburn struggled with Oregon far more than they did against Bama - despite every SEC fanbase acting like it was a whitewash...the game was a stuggle and Auburn won by a field goal despite hawving supposedly an awesome D-line and Fairley.

As J Manziel, USC's struggles and Saban's fear...have proved is that big lumbering, built to attack and kill teams like old Michigan, LSU, Ohio State under Tressell...

Have a big problem in space...and shifting, moving passing lanes, etc...QBs like Mariotti.

LSU did Bama the greatest favor in the world in winning national titles by being their biggest foe during this last period of football. That's what Bama is built for - straight up, line-up...mastodon football.

It's what USC was built for too during it's run...it's why USC destroyed SEC opponents and conservative OOC matchups like Ohio State.

But USC finally fell to Oregon...and spread and misdirection.

The LSU game was fumble-fest and a not a true barometer.

People say...well Stanford solved it and Stanford is conservative and physical and straight-line old school.

Stanford is far more a chameleon than people realize and faces these offenses on a daily basis...unlike the SEC.

It's a misnomer to project Stanford upon the future success.

And even when Stanford or Auburn would win in the vein...it was always a close game or missed breakaways. Oregon creates chances...they just have fumbled away those chances in big games - because they are always coming...spreading you out - making you work for it.

LSU has telegraphed everything against Bama as their main foe the last few years - relying on best recruiting. That's no way to play football if you want to have an edge.

This post was edited on 7/19/14 at 2:23 pm