Alabama Football: Will 2017 Tide dominate more top opposing players?

 January 7, 2013 – BCS Championship – Alabama 42 – Notre Dame 12

Something does not feel right about singling out Manti T’eo when the entire Notre Dame defense folded against Alabama football in the 2012 title game. We could have chosen to focus on defensive lineman, Louis Nix as another highly regarded player who was no match for the Tide.

Hasn’t T’eo suffered enough from the sensationalized coverage of his girlfriend that did not exist? The answer to that is a resounding yes.

Unfortunately, the football facts are that T’eo was the established leader of the 2012 Irish defense. He was such a highly respected linebacker he finished second to Johnny Manziel in the Heisman voting. In addition, he won the 2012 Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year Lott Trophy, as well as the Maxwell Award, the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Butkus Award, the Lombardi Award, and the Walter Camp Award.

Against Alabama, T’eo looked like an undersized FCS linebacker. He gamely fought his way to three solo and seven assisted tackles in the game, many well beyond the line of scrimmage.

Alabama football running backs, Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon rushed 41 times for 248 yards and a 6 yard-per-carry average. Notre Dame defenders did not get run over as much as they were shredded.

Notre Dame had no business being on the field with Alabama football in that BCS Championship. After earning a trophy case full of awards, T’eo (and his Irish defensive teammates) was dominated by Alabama.

T’eo was drafted by San Diego in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. After four seasons with the Chargers, he now plays for New Orleans.