10 Reasons Things Are Okay, Even After The Iron Bowl

Nov 30, 2013; Auburn, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Kevin Norwood (83) runs agianst Auburn Tigers cornerback Chris Davis (11) during the fourth quarter at Jordan Hare Stadium. John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

The Auburn Tigers defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide Saturday evening. And yet, I was as surprised as anyone when the sun rose on Sunday. Even more surprising, I was not nearly as despondent as I was certainly expecting. And then it occurred to me why:

1. We’ve had one of the most unprecedented runs in college football history. Three national titles in four years? Our letdown is an 11-1 season, heading into the bowl? A top tier recruiting class waiting to take the field in the first playoff year of the NCAA? Life is good.
2. The Iron Bowl is the Rivalry of Rivalries. In what will go down as one of the most unbelievable, improbable games in college football history, the Iron Bowl showed why it’s the best rivalry game there is. Hours after Michigan and Ohio State concluded a really solid exciting game for the ages, the Iron Bowl said, “Awww. Adorable. Watch this.”
3. Cade Foster’s supporters. When Twitter started lighting up with idiots sending him death threats, Bama Nation responded by supporting him and calling out the fools. Remember when Ryan Pflugner shanked an extra point against Michigan in the Orange Bowl in 2000? Or when Ed Scissum put the ball on the turf against Auburn in 1997? Poor guys probably replay that in their heads all the time. The same caliber of moron no doubt shouted the same drivel about them, only it fell dead in their den walls. The rage monsters tend to forget about all that these fellows have done over the years for the Tide. The classless spewers just didn’t have Twitter to spread their Southern Comfort-fueled rage at the speed of light.
4. Did I mention three national titles in four years?
5. Auburn being relevant is good for Bama. Remember the noise around last year’s 49-0 drubbing of the Tigers? No, you don’t because there was none. As much as it may kill us, Auburn being good is good for us. Yes, we’ll lose some. But we’ll win more, and those wins become all the more satisfying. While we may sometimes say we’d like Auburn to regress to a 1-AA program, the fact is Superman needs Lex Luthor.
6. We’re upset about an 11-1 season. 11-1. South Carolina held a 20^th anniversary celebration of their 10-2 Black Magic Season in 2004. We fire 10-win coaches. Enjoy greatness.
7. AJ McCarron. Dude rode out of Jordan-Hare with the class you would expect of a leader. Whoever we get in January – odds are Clemson – I expect a 2011 Capital One Bowl-style response, in which we dismantled Michigan State, and not a 2009-Sugar Bowl-style letdown where an upstart Utah team rolled over a deflated Bama squad.
8. Hey, quick history lesson – we’ve won three of the last four national titles.
9. If Ohio State and Florida State win next Saturday, they will most likely play for the title. Thus, you can blame Auburn for not keeping the SEC streak alive.
10. And lastly, there is still a very slim chance we play for the title. Remember this scene in Dumb and Dumber:

So if Duke beats Florida State and Michigan State beats Ohio State, we most likely get the winner of the SEC title game. Okay, so the Duke thing is the least likely thing to happen. So what next? How about a Mizzou win and the BCS give a final flick of the finger to the fans and let us go ahead of Mizzou? I’m for it. Roll Tide. See you in Miami. If not Pasadena.