Alabama football is mere months a way, and there’s no better time than the present to plan your tailgating and adult beverage consuming. Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve been going week by week through the 2012 schedule and recommending our own favorite foods and spirits for each game. Feel free to read parts one and two before scrolling down to our final four games.
November 3: Alabama at LSU. Not to oversimplify, but this is the season for all intents and purposes. LSU is absolutely loaded and will be in the hunt for the national championship. Much to my chagrin, the Tigers have gone and gotten themselves a competent quarterback. Zack Mettenberger is light years better than Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee were, and LSU’s defense should be ferocious. The game will be at night, and rare is the occurrence that a team walks into the shadow of the valley of death (yeah I know it’s not the exact quote, I’m no theologian) and walks out with a victory. My hope is that this past January’s mauling left a psychological impact on the Tigers. This game should decide who goes to Atlanta.
Suggested food and cocktail: Jambalaya and Abita beer. Say what you want about the corndogs, but those Cajuns can cook.
November 10: Alabama vs. Texas A&M. The Tide has the distinction of playing both newcomers to the SEC in 2012. The Aggies are more used to big games than Missouri, so their transition to the big time should be a bit easier. What won’t be easier however, is the week in, week out gauntlet that is the SEC schedule. The Aggies won’t have Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Baylor and assorted other Big 12 fodder to kick around anymore. The prospect of joining the toughest conference in the land may not be as exciting once they get a taste of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU and Arkansas every week. I expect the battle-tested Tide to be too much for the Aggies this season, either looking to clinch a trip to Atlanta following a big win at LSU, or looking to take out frustrations after a bitter defeat in Death Valley.
Suggested food and cocktail: Texas style chilli (no beans) and Lone Star beer.
November 17: Alabama vs. Western Carolina. Unlike the cowardly Tigers/Eagles/Cheaters, Alabama usually plays a game the week before the Iron Bowl. The Catamounts are about the next closest thing to a bye week, however. For WCU the day should go as follows: wake up, take beating, collect large sum of money, go home.
Suggested food and cocktail: Pulled pork and Fat Tire (Asheville, NC is getting a New Belgium brewery so it kind of makes sense).
November 24: Alabama vs. Auburn. The. Iron. Bowl. Auburn usually and foolishly saves its bye until the week before the Alabama game. No matter that the grind of the season may cost them a win or two in October or early November due to injuries and fatigue, they continually prove the little brother complex to be true by going “all in” for a one-game season. While the barners did manage to make a sensible hire at defensive coordinator, one offseason will not be enough to make meaningful improvements to a unit that was comically bad last season. Making things worse for East Alabama Male College, their offense is still run by a young quarterback who couldn’t hit water with a pass if he was stranded in the middle of the ocean. Look for Alabama to put on a show of dominance in front of the home crowd. Coach Saban does not like to be embarrassed in his own house and I expect him to extract swift and blinding vengeance for the last Iron Bowl played in Tuscaloosa.
Suggested food and cocktail: It’s the Iron Bowl, so eat and drink whatever your personal favorite delicacies happen to be. For me it will probably be a ribeye steak and Coca-Cola, followed by a nightcap of 20 year old Pappy Van Winkle.
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