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re: How the hell did Bama not win it all in 2018?
Posted on 8/7/25 at 11:39 am to MeatRocket879
Posted on 8/7/25 at 11:39 am to MeatRocket879
quote:
Is this what ~20 years of CFB irrelevancy does to a man
Better buckle in. We're about to see what it does to you.
1
Posted on 8/7/25 at 11:56 am to MtVernon
What tips do you have? We can start with what you will be doing after this season is started 0-1 and its 2017 all over again.
Posted on 8/7/25 at 12:18 pm to MtVernon
quote:
MtVernon
That was beautiful
Posted on 8/7/25 at 12:50 pm to cfish140
That Clemson team was just really good and had a great night. They likely played one of their best games of the season. Rare to say from that era, but Clemson was the more talented team.
To parse out the details of that Alabama team, really it wasn't very good defensively, especially as the season was getting near the end. In the last 5 games they gave up an escalating amount of points. 17, then 21, 28, 34, and then 44 against Clemson. the defensive line was just one guy and really had struggled all season. I think most Bama fans had seen cracks starting to form around mid-season, and then near the end of the year the defensive issues started to get worse. All of the issues we had seen were exposed by Clemson in a big way.
The 2016 team was the bigger disappointment. That team could have and likely should have won, losing last second is much worse than getting blown out. At least in '18, no question, Clemson was just better.
To parse out the details of that Alabama team, really it wasn't very good defensively, especially as the season was getting near the end. In the last 5 games they gave up an escalating amount of points. 17, then 21, 28, 34, and then 44 against Clemson. the defensive line was just one guy and really had struggled all season. I think most Bama fans had seen cracks starting to form around mid-season, and then near the end of the year the defensive issues started to get worse. All of the issues we had seen were exposed by Clemson in a big way.
The 2016 team was the bigger disappointment. That team could have and likely should have won, losing last second is much worse than getting blown out. At least in '18, no question, Clemson was just better.
Posted on 8/7/25 at 12:55 pm to cfish140
My theory:
Bama had to play a typical SEC schedule, but more importantly we ended the season against a tough 1 loss UGA team in the SECCG that ended up being an absolute battle, and then our 1st round draw Oklahoma was a physical, brutal game, despite what people might remember. They absolutely would not quit, and made us work for it for pretty much the entire game after we got the big lead. Lots of dirty playing on both sides, and a lot of injuries in that game for us. I think that we were fairly battered after that game.
Meanwhile, Clemson played a typical joke of an ACC schedule, played a 7-6 Pitt team in the ACC championship, and then played a joke of a playoff team in ND the first round. They probably prepared for Bama most of the season, and they were fresh, not beaten up, and healthy.
Having said that, Clemson was obviously really good, and had NFL talent all over the field, I just think that the above is why the game was so lopsided.
I wonder what the game would have looked like with Hurts starting instead of Tua.
Bama had to play a typical SEC schedule, but more importantly we ended the season against a tough 1 loss UGA team in the SECCG that ended up being an absolute battle, and then our 1st round draw Oklahoma was a physical, brutal game, despite what people might remember. They absolutely would not quit, and made us work for it for pretty much the entire game after we got the big lead. Lots of dirty playing on both sides, and a lot of injuries in that game for us. I think that we were fairly battered after that game.
Meanwhile, Clemson played a typical joke of an ACC schedule, played a 7-6 Pitt team in the ACC championship, and then played a joke of a playoff team in ND the first round. They probably prepared for Bama most of the season, and they were fresh, not beaten up, and healthy.
Having said that, Clemson was obviously really good, and had NFL talent all over the field, I just think that the above is why the game was so lopsided.
I wonder what the game would have looked like with Hurts starting instead of Tua.
This post was edited on 8/7/25 at 1:10 pm
Posted on 8/7/25 at 1:02 pm to MtVernon
quote:
You people will never get it. Saban won because he had the decked stacked down there at his little Alabama gig. But when sheer horses couldn't get it done, his coaching was never enough.
You're looking at it through Texas lens. Y'all were right up there in terms of a stacked deck, and you couldn't win shite.
Which is a good argument that Nick Saban did something right, something Texas couldn't do with the same "advantage."
2006: #5
2007: #2
2008: #10
2009: #6
2010: #2
2011: #5
2012: #2
2013: #13
Posted on 8/7/25 at 1:05 pm to SummerOfGeorge
quote:
We moved the ball up and down the field for the first 3 quarters but we only scored 2 touchdowns.
3 plays, 75 yards, TD (long play)
10 plays, 75 yards, TD
11 plays, 45 yards, FG
7 plays, 31 yards, INT
13 plays, 51 yards, TOD
8 plays, 59 yards, TOD
9 plays, 66 yards, TOD
I'm pretty sure we scored 10 points on 5 trips inside the Clemson 25. That's bad for any offense, but for our offense that year it was unheard of.
The way I remember that game, Bama looked like they could run at will; they'd continuously roll down the field, then get cute trying to pass- and something bad would happen.
And instead of being up 2-3 scores like they'd been all year, they looked up and saw they were losing, and hit the panic button. It's one of the only times I've seen a Saban-coached team do that.
Posted on 8/7/25 at 1:28 pm to cfish140
Because Clemson was the better team and was just as stacked basically.
Posted on 8/7/25 at 1:48 pm to cfish140
Because Clemson kicked their azz.
Posted on 8/7/25 at 1:49 pm to cfish140
quote:
How the hell did Bama not win it all in 2018?
Bad coaching
When you have by far the best roster
You should win
Saban was the best at “acquiring” the best roster by far every year
The refs also cheated for them
How can you not win it all with all of that going for you?
Bad coaching
It’s no secret why NIL made him retire
Posted on 8/7/25 at 8:01 pm to Frac the world
2018 MSU defense showed Clemson what to do.
MSU got screwed over on a turnover that game and it would have been way closer than it was. They held Bama's offense in check all game.
MSU got screwed over on a turnover that game and it would have been way closer than it was. They held Bama's offense in check all game.
Posted on 8/7/25 at 8:04 pm to Ten Bears
Weren't the Clemson DTs blowing things up like crazy that season also.
Posted on 8/7/25 at 8:34 pm to cfish140
quote:
Then got demolished by Clemson in the natty.
44-16
Posted on 8/7/25 at 8:36 pm to WilliamTaylor21
How did LSU win ever?
The loss to Troy is what one would usualy expect
The loss to Troy is what one would usualy expect
Posted on 8/7/25 at 8:45 pm to MtVernon
“If only Colt hadn’t gotten hurt”
Posted on 8/7/25 at 8:54 pm to Kashmir
quote:
“If only Tua was 100%”
quote:
“If only Jameson Williams didn’t get hurt”
Hmmmmm
Posted on 8/7/25 at 8:56 pm to cfish140
Just a couple "down" years and people forget how incredibly good Clemson was. 2 national titles and 4 title game appearances in a 5 year stretch. They were every bit as dominant of a program as some of the peak dynasties but no one remembers them that way because they are not a blue blood and people like Dabo aren't supposed to win that much.
Posted on 8/7/25 at 8:57 pm to MillerLiteTime
2019 LSU beat Clemson (on a 29 game win streak) by 3 scores
Posted on 8/7/25 at 8:59 pm to MtVernon
Umm..Are you saying Saban is not one of the best ever. Are you insane or just do not know CFB at all...very curious how someone can think such insane things. Can you do a case study with the other people in the psychiatric hospital?
This post was edited on 8/7/25 at 9:00 pm
Posted on 8/7/25 at 9:03 pm to Funky Tide 8
quote:
I wonder what the game would have looked like with Hurts starting instead of Tua.
People magically remember a different version of Hurts at Alabama now that some time has passed and he won a Super Bowl. Let's be real, Hurts struggled at Alabama as the starter against nearly all good competition, especially late in the season when it mattered most. He just wasn't enough of a passer. His year at OU against the Big 12 dramatically improved his confidence and then the Eagles built an incredible OL/WR/HB and scheme around him. He is an awesome human being who showed great loyalty and a team attitude but lets not pretend he was better than Tua as a college QB.
This post was edited on 8/7/25 at 9:08 pm
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