I've had very little time to post this year, but I will try to sneak in a writeup on the Bama - Ole Miss game.
The only game in which I wagered against Bama last year was when they played the Rebels in Bryant-Denny Stadium, and I felt very, very fortunate to get the cover.
For Ole' Miss, this has been a game that has been circled since last year, so I expect the Rebels and Houston Nutt to throw everything they have at Bama tomorrow afternoon. And historically, games between these two teams at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium have been very close, and historically Houston Nutt has given Bama fits.
Tebow's concussion two weeks ago overshadowed the season-ending knee injury to Bama's linebacker Don'ta Hightower. I spoke with Phil Savage (former GM of the Cleveland Browns and profession NFL talent evaluator), last week, and he said that most NFL scouts regarded Bama LB Rolondo McClain and Hightower as the best two collegiate LBs in the country, with Brandon Spikes being #3. That is pretty high praise for Hightower who is a true sophmore.
Personally, I think that Hightower is more physically gifted than McClain, but McClain's experience advantage makes him Bama's most valuable LB. Nevertheless, anyone who thinks Bama's linebacking corps hasn't taken a huge hit with the Hightower injury is smoking some good shit!!!
Moreover, Hightower's backup Jarrel Harris (who is also a stone-cold stud) is serving the final game of a 6-game suspension and, therefore, is inelligible for the Ole' Miss game. That means Bama will be without both their 1st and 2nd string Will LBers. Consequently, Saban has moved Cory Reamer (who normally plays Sam) to fill Hightower's shoes at the Will, moved Eryk Anders (who normally plays Jack) to replace Reamer at Sam, and then brought in sophmore Courtney Upshaw off the bench to fill in for Anders at the Jack. This effectively means Bama is playing with 3 LBers that are either new or playing out of position. That really showed up in the run defense versus Kentucky last week.
Saban has been playing musical chairs with the LBers all week. That includes giving 5-star, true freshman stud Nico Johnson more work in practice. What the finished product will be on Saturday is anybody's guess.
In capping this game, I put no weight on the history of this rivalry because Saban did not coach those teams. I mean seriously, are you really going to compare a Saban-coached team to a sactions depleted Shula- coached team? Seriously? If these two teams were coached by the same people for the past 10 years, then I would give weight to the history.
Thus far, Ole Miss has been a Frankenstein that has been cobbled together by the media. This is a team, with the exception of a few flashes, has look horrible all year, and now people expect them to suddenly get well against Bama? Really???
Ole' Miss's strength so far has been their defense, but they haven't faced anyone with the offensive firepower of Bama. IMO, Bama just has way too many weapons on the offensive side of the ball for the Rebels to contain them for 4 quarters. And the scary thing about Bama's offense is that they have yet to play up their potential yet.
Offensively, I think Bama will put together one of their most complete performances to date and score in the 30s and possibly 40s. If that is so, then Ole Miss will need to score at least 4 TDs to cover the 4 or 5 point spread, and even with Bama's depleted linebacking corp, I don't see that happening.
Despite the fact that many great cappers are on Ole Miss (including Phil Steele), I really don't think this game will be close in the end. I see a score very similar to the Kentucky game . . . 35-20.
Five weeks into the season, Bama has clearly established themselves as one of the elite progerams in the country. Right now, if I can ride them giving less than a TD, they will be an automatic play for me.
BAMA LARGE!!!
The only game in which I wagered against Bama last year was when they played the Rebels in Bryant-Denny Stadium, and I felt very, very fortunate to get the cover.
For Ole' Miss, this has been a game that has been circled since last year, so I expect the Rebels and Houston Nutt to throw everything they have at Bama tomorrow afternoon. And historically, games between these two teams at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium have been very close, and historically Houston Nutt has given Bama fits.
Tebow's concussion two weeks ago overshadowed the season-ending knee injury to Bama's linebacker Don'ta Hightower. I spoke with Phil Savage (former GM of the Cleveland Browns and profession NFL talent evaluator), last week, and he said that most NFL scouts regarded Bama LB Rolondo McClain and Hightower as the best two collegiate LBs in the country, with Brandon Spikes being #3. That is pretty high praise for Hightower who is a true sophmore.
Personally, I think that Hightower is more physically gifted than McClain, but McClain's experience advantage makes him Bama's most valuable LB. Nevertheless, anyone who thinks Bama's linebacking corps hasn't taken a huge hit with the Hightower injury is smoking some good shit!!!
Moreover, Hightower's backup Jarrel Harris (who is also a stone-cold stud) is serving the final game of a 6-game suspension and, therefore, is inelligible for the Ole' Miss game. That means Bama will be without both their 1st and 2nd string Will LBers. Consequently, Saban has moved Cory Reamer (who normally plays Sam) to fill Hightower's shoes at the Will, moved Eryk Anders (who normally plays Jack) to replace Reamer at Sam, and then brought in sophmore Courtney Upshaw off the bench to fill in for Anders at the Jack. This effectively means Bama is playing with 3 LBers that are either new or playing out of position. That really showed up in the run defense versus Kentucky last week.
Saban has been playing musical chairs with the LBers all week. That includes giving 5-star, true freshman stud Nico Johnson more work in practice. What the finished product will be on Saturday is anybody's guess.
In capping this game, I put no weight on the history of this rivalry because Saban did not coach those teams. I mean seriously, are you really going to compare a Saban-coached team to a sactions depleted Shula- coached team? Seriously? If these two teams were coached by the same people for the past 10 years, then I would give weight to the history.
Thus far, Ole Miss has been a Frankenstein that has been cobbled together by the media. This is a team, with the exception of a few flashes, has look horrible all year, and now people expect them to suddenly get well against Bama? Really???
Ole' Miss's strength so far has been their defense, but they haven't faced anyone with the offensive firepower of Bama. IMO, Bama just has way too many weapons on the offensive side of the ball for the Rebels to contain them for 4 quarters. And the scary thing about Bama's offense is that they have yet to play up their potential yet.
Offensively, I think Bama will put together one of their most complete performances to date and score in the 30s and possibly 40s. If that is so, then Ole Miss will need to score at least 4 TDs to cover the 4 or 5 point spread, and even with Bama's depleted linebacking corp, I don't see that happening.
Despite the fact that many great cappers are on Ole Miss (including Phil Steele), I really don't think this game will be close in the end. I see a score very similar to the Kentucky game . . . 35-20.
Five weeks into the season, Bama has clearly established themselves as one of the elite progerams in the country. Right now, if I can ride them giving less than a TD, they will be an automatic play for me.
BAMA LARGE!!!
to all!!!