Alabama Football: 5 Reasons The Cowboys Classic Is The Most Important Matchup In Week One

Alabama football has certainly seen its share of opening week fireworks. They participated in the inauguralChick-fil-a Kickoff in 2008 vs. Clemson and also played the following Chick-fil-a Kickoff game with Virginia Tech in 2009. In fact, many people think Alabama’s 2009 BCS National Championship was at least attributed to the momentum from the win against the Hokies.

Remember when the bigger college football games didn’t really start until Week 3? Do you remember having to watch the division formerly known as Division I-AA teams get crushed by their superior counterparts from the division formerly known as Division I-A?

The last two years Alabama has opened up with cupcakes San Jose State and Kent State. This year, however, they have the spotlight once more as they travel to JerryWorld in Dallas, TX to take on Brady Hoke’s Michigan Wolverines. There are five reasons why this game should demand your outright focus and attention in the first week of college football:

1. It’s a Big 10/SEC matchup.

Ok, this is merely a fact, but it’s no secret that both Big 10 Commish Jim Delany and Mike Slive of the SEC are the two most powerful men in all of college football when it comes to making decisions for each other’s conference. The Big 10 and SEC have been going at it for decades as to who has the better conference. Lately, this title has belonged to the SEC for reasons that have been repeated time and again: 6 National Champions and 1 Runner-Up in the past 6 seasons. (Seriously, who else can claim that?)

These two conferences go at it over who has the biggest share in the college football realm and this game is just another test to determine that. Frankly, it means more to the Big 10 than the SEC, who has lived in the SEC’s shadow for so long. A win here against the defending champions will go a long way toward turning the tide, so to speak.

2. No other Week 1 matchup holds a candle to the Cowboys Classic.

Sure, there are other great games out there for you to watch on Week 1, but none of them have as much meaning or are as star-powered as the matchup of the Crimson Tide and the Wolverines.

Yeah, there’s the game in Ireland between Notre Dame and Navy. Two independents battling it out in another country. Notre Dame is looking to compete for a BCS slot. Sounds like a great game, but frankly I’ll be dividing my attention from that game with College Gameday broadcasting live from the Cowboys Classic, considering the kickoff time is at eight in the morning.

Boise State vs. Michigan State? We all know Michigan State will be really good this year and be competitive in the Big 10. However, Boise State is looking to have a down year with the loss of many key players, especially on offense. This could turn out to be a surprise or a blowout by the Spartans, but it doesn’t have the attractiveness that Bama/Michigan has.

What about Georgia Tech/Virginia Tech on Labor Day weekend? It’s drawing, but the ACC hasn’t done squat in college football and they will have to earn some relevance before this becomes an high-profile match.

3. It’s held in the biggest venue in America.

When the Owner, President and Manager of the Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones, announced the building of this new Cowboy Stadium, most thought it would be the best football stadium ever built, considering Jerry Jones’ fortune. Still, he managed to outdo expectations and create a stadium that’s adaptable to virtually any event. Since its opening, it’s hosted a Super Bowl, rock concerts and even an NCAA Final Four in men’s basketball.

No doubt that a matchup of this caliber could be held anywhere else. It will definitely be a stadium packed to the brim with Michigan and Alabama fans alike. And who can forget one of the biggest television screens in the world right there, hanging from the ceiling? (Charlotte Motor Speedway has  the biggest TV screen, by the way.) If you are still not convinced, check out the other events that Cowboy Stadium has hosted.

Simply put, big events come to Cowboys Stadium. And the Alabama/Michigan game is just one of the big events.

4. Alabama wants to tie the series record.

Let’s face it, not many teams in the program’s history have a leg up on Alabama in the series records. In fact, of the opponents Alabama has faced where three or more games were played between the teams, only eight of those opponents have beaten Alabama more than 50 percent of the time.

Michigan is one of these teams. The Wolverines have won two of their three contests with the Tide. Michigan won in 1988 in the Hall of Fame bowl and then nine years later, lost to the Tide in the Outback Bowl. Their last matchup was in 2000 in the Orange Bowl, where Alabama suffered a loss.

Their average margin of victory has been a mere three points. Their game in the Orange Bowl was finished in overtime. This series certainly has a history of being close, and the series will get even closer if Bama can get the win.

5. Michigan needs to prove that they are back.

Michigan has certainly fallen from grace since the hiring of Rich Rodriguez. Rich Rod complied a 15-22 record, the worst record ever by a Michigan head coach. He also left Big Blue with no wins against rivals Michigan State and Ohio State.

In comes Brady Hoke. He leads his team to a 10-2 season and has big wins over Notre Dame in Michigan’s first ever night home game and over Ohio State, its first win over the Buckeyes in seven years. No doubt that Hoke has brought this team to a level to where they can compete. Even with the successful season, however, Brady isn’t satisfied and said he failed as a head coach.

The true Michigan faithful agree that being competitive isn’t enough; they want to win it all. And they certainly have a chance against Alabama. What would impress the country more than beating the reigning national champions under the direction of one of the best coaches in the game, Nick Saban? You think media members might consider a Michigan a threat to the BCS Championship?

I certainly wouldn’t dare cut them out of the talks of a National Championship if they did so.

My Point Is…

I’m not saying that you shouldn’t watch those other interesting Week 1 games. I too believe that the time between the BCS National Championship and the next season is too long and when it gets here, we should watch and welcome college football back with open arms.

But I’m saying that this game matters much more to the season as a whole. Those other games you really have to take with a grain of salt. This game will determine if Michigan is poised to win the Big 10 and/or possibly more and if the Crimson Tide will have a chance at repeating.

We are 16 days from football season. Now is the time to get prepared.

Follow Chris on Twitter.