I have to say, Coach Saban certainly wouldn't be very proud of me and my preparation for the Mocs last Saturday.   You don't have to look any further than here, to know

1.       I didn't give it much thought -

2.       I thought Bama could just show up

3.       I had zero excitement

4.       I was a bit shocked at the performance and score.

As I watched the Tide sleepwalk through the win on Saturday against the Chattanooga Moccasins I found myself being critical of the team.  A trait I pride myself in seldom doing.   Then it hit me like a Moc on a rock - I was being critical of the team for doing the exact thing I as a fan had done.   Oh, I do know that whatever I do, say or superstitions I possess have nothing to do with the outcome.  But who am I to be critical about the team being flat, when I as a fan - was FLAT.  Plus, when did a 31 - 3 victory become something to be scoffed at?   Rhetorical of course.

But me and likely most Bama fans were dreaming of The Iron Bowl, The SEC Championship game, The Playoff and subsequent National Championship game - BUT WAIT - HOLD UP!!!! There are games to be played and hopefully won!!! The cliché - one game at a time!!! The Chattanooga Mocs are the proof.....

So now we moved to The Iron Bowl.   Or so called because it was once played in Birmingham "Iron City".  The moniker will never go away, but the game has changed.  Home and home an no longer a 50/50 split on the tickets.  (Some of you are too young to remember it was once this way.)  

Auburn comes in ranked #13 in the nation and a 7-3 record.  The Crimson Tide 10-0 #1 in the Nation ridding a 22 game win streak.   Auburn had a slow start, but rebounded to have a very respectable record and a defense that is good.   Bama will have its hands full. 

Bama of course has much more to lose than Auburn, but I think that will be a motivation.   Mention the Iron Bowl to folks in the state, and most will immediately recall this game or that game - and usually those are "upsets" and usually involve a BIG PLAY that swung the game.  The old saying "throw out the record books is not really true.  The favored team has won 16 of the last 20 Iron Bowls played.   80%.   Vegas says Bama is 18 points better - or at least that is the betting line.   I think that may be a bit too high, but I do look for Bama to win.  It will be close early, but Bama will force its will late in the game.

In the 81^st Iron Bowl -

         27            15

ROLL TIDE

Bama Rolls - or at least - on Defense, and does what is necessary on Offense to come out of Baton Rouge with a 10 - 0 victory.  No way would most have thought Fornette would have only gotten 35 yards rushing.  Bama shut him and the Coach O - offense down. 

Unfortunately the streak of non offensive touchdowns ended.  However Fitzpatrick picked off an errant pass.. to continue the turnover streak.   Bama moves to 9 and 0 for the season and extended it's undefeated streak to 21 game.  Miss State comes in to Saturday's game with a 4-5 record, and ridding high on the upset of TAMU.  Yes, TAMU the then #4 team in the nation.

Bama is favored and should win this match handily - playing before the home crowd and coming off a big road win at LSU.  However.... Who remembers 1980?   The mighty Crimson Tide visited the Bullies at Jackson Mississippi, were Ranked #1 with the expectations of a victory,  and came away with one of the biggest upsets in the history of this series 6 - 3.  

Do I think that will happen Saturday?  Anything is possible, ask Hillary, however... I look for Bama to take this one with a good margin on their way to 22 in a row.

    41          16

Not much one has to say about this game that hasn't been said or written.

Both teams had a week off to prepare for this heavyweight bout.

  Bama with a road win over the #4 TAMU Aggies and LSU, with a win Ole Miss.  As you can see, these teams are somewhat evenly matched.   Bama certainly leads in the scoring category. 

Bama continues to impress with a balanced offense and a defense that seems to find opportunity in many ways.  The streak of scoring a Defensive touchdown in every game continued last week. It's hard to imagine it continuing all season, but - this defense is special and they believe it can, so I am certainly not going to doubt them.

After we week off, I suspect both teams will take a few minutes to adjust but I look for it to be a close game.  Leonard Fournette had a great game against Ole Miss and looks to be the back everyone expected.   Last year Bama held Fornette to 31 yards.  If Bama doesn't hold him under 100 it could be a long day. 

The game is of course a prime time, CBS game in Death Valley - for that reason many think LSU will upset the Tide.  Bama has fared well in Baton Rouge.  Vegas has Bama as a 7-8 point favorite. 

I think the Bama Offense will be able to move the ball and the Defense will do its job and shut down Fournette.

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