re: How much influence do past games/trends have on this season?

quote:

---

d) Almost none

---

This, except to the extent that one or both teams allow past history to affect their mental approach to the upcoming game.

That said, they can be an indication of what to expect even if they don't "affect" the game. None of Alabama's defensive plays or scores from previous years are going to put any points on the board for them in this year's game against LSU, but the fact that they made all those plays can inform us that there is a significant talent disparity between the two teams that has continued for several years and has not likely been undone in the past six months. Therefore, we can reasonably predict that the talent disparity remains and will likely determine the outcome again.