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Alabama Crimson Tide defense championship quality or not

By Ronald Evans

Mandatory Credit: Kent Gidley via USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Kent Gidley via USA TODAY Sports /
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Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama Crimson Tide /

Clemson Tigers 9-1 and No. 3 in CFBP Ranking

  • The Clemson Tigers are No. 16 in Scoring Defense.
  • Clemson has wins over three, top-25 Scoring Offenses; No. 16 (Wake Forest); No. 19 (Notre Dame) and No. 23 Miami.
  • The other five Clemson wins are over The Citadel and four average to weak, Scoring Offense teams: No. 49 (Virginia Tech); No. 63 (Pitt); No. 68 (Boston College); No. 90 (Georgia Tech) and Syracuse at No. 119.

Prediction: Dabo does not have one of his great National Championship-winning defenses. It is, however, a ‘Playoff Quality’ defense.

Texas A&M Aggies 7-1 and No. 5 in CFBP Ranking

  • The Aggies are No. 32 in Scoring Defense.
  • The Alabama Crimson Tide No. 3 Scoring Offense easily scored 52 points on the Aggies.
  • A win over the No. 10 Scoring Offense, Florida Gators has been a resume booster for TAMU.
  • A problem for the Aggies defense is workload and the higher number of defensive stops needed because the Aggies’ Scoring Offense is No. 45.

Prediction: The Aggies have a good rather than great defense. In their case, the defense must be a higher ‘Playoff Quality’ than is needed by other top teams. It is not.

Alabama Crimson Tide 9-0 and No. 1 in CFBP Ranking

  • The Crimson Tide are No. 17 in Scoring Defense.
  • Only one Tide win has been over a top Scoring Offense in Ole Niss at No. 15.
  • The other wins range from No. 45 (TAMU) and No. 47 (Georgia) to No. 105 (Kentucky); No, 109 (Tennessee) and No. 118 (Mississippi State). In between are No. 60 (LSU); No. 72 (Missouri) and No. 84 Auburn.

Prediction: In a weaker than normal SEC, the Alabama Crimson Tide defense has not proven itself against a top offense. The Tide’s explosive offense can carry the defense in games. It may be able to carry the Crimson Tide to a National Championship. At this point, the Tide does not have a proven ‘Playoff Quality’ defense.

dark. Next. CFBP 'What Ifs'

The Alabama Crimson Tide offense is every bit as good as LSU’s last season. The Tide defense might be better than last season’s LSU defense. If it is, the combination is a National Championship recipe.

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