re: Alabama opponents Total Defense thus far

SummerOfGeorge:

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at the end of the 3rd quarter before we pulled our starters.

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Crimson Wraith:

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Our first string offense only plays in the first half.

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Paul B Ammer:

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if Bama wasn't up 35-0 after the 1st quarter of each game and Saban didn't apply the brakes.

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I'm afraid to read much farther into the thread as I'm sure it's going to eventually get whittled down to:
"Well, if we actually dressed out our starters, it would look even worse!1!"

Bama has scored 44 points through the firsr 3 QTRs in every game.

LSU has only scored 35 through 3 QTRs once. They had 35 against lil miss at home.
Bama had 49 on the road in the first half against that same little sis team.

LSU is playing good. No question about it. But they are not in Bama’s level.

Tua plays 4QTRs against LSU and we will win by 15+.

I think the bigger question mark is the Alabama defense. Look at the offenses they've faced thus far:

Total Offense vs. FBS Opponents

#31 Texas A&M
#36 Ole Miss
#47 Arkansas State
#110 Louisiana-Lafayette
#122 Louisville

Average Rank: #69.2

Yet despite facing a very poor slate of teams, Bama's rank in Total defense so far this year is only #16. Compare that to past seasons:

2018: #16
2017: #2
2016: #2
2015: #3
2014: #12
2013: #5
2012: #1
2011: #1
2010: #5
2009: #4

Every season in which Bama has NOT had a defense that finished in the Top 4 in Total Defense, they've failed to even reach the National Title Game:

2010: Lost 3 games and finished 4th in the West
2013: Lost the Iron Bowl; Lost to Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl
2014: Lost to Ole Miss; lost to Ohio State in the Playoff

Going into the season, Bama lost a ton of starters from last year on the defensive side of the ball. While the defense is still obviously good, will it be good enough when they face an elite opponent?

I think this season, Bama's offense is the best of the Saban era, so it may be able to compensate for slightly worse play from the defense. But I will be very interested to see how Bama looks against an elite opponent.... Georgia, possibly Ohio State, etc.

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Have you corksuckers been up 35-0 at all

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We started 10 new players on offense, a new OC, and have had a different starting line for five weeks straight due to injuries. So no, we haven’t been up 35-0.

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Yet despite facing a very poor slate of teams, Bama's rank in Total defense so far this year is only #16.

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Much like offense, it's hard to take raw numbers for us. Our 2nd team has been dogshite this year. They gave up tons of yards to A&M and to ULL.

Our first team defense is not quite 2016 or 2017 but it's a right at about a Top 10 defense. And our offense is clearly better than it has ever been under Saban.

We'll see how it plays out.

As we speak, I’ve got some Jezebels going over to Tuscaloosa to make Tua get transfixed by that poontang. His performance will in the tank by November.

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corksuckers

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what's a corksuckers?

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Have you corksuckers been up 35-0 at all?

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Why is this important?

Blowouts and backups.

Average score Bama after 3 quarters is 46-5. A lot of that yardage is garbage time with 3rd, 4th, and 5th string players. Not saying Bama couldn't tighten up but Bama is #5 in scoring D.

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have been saying it. Its going to be interesting when LSU punches them in the mouth on Nov 3. Their team has yet to face adversity, and their god has yet to play a full game, or under stress for that matter.

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What would you call down 13-0 in the national title game last year? Tua was the QB. Damien Harris, Josh Jacobs and Najee were the RBs. Ruggs, Jeudy and Smith were WRs on that team. Much of the offensive line was the same. Since most of the offense is the same as that team, I think Bama will be ok mentally if they get tested against LSU's defense.