5-0 Alabama Heads Into The SEC's Version Of "Amen Corner"

Just like the 11th, 12th and 13th holes in "The Masters" golf tournament in Augusta, Ga., "Amen Corner" represents the make, or break turning point for golfers, Alabama now faces its own version of "Amen Corner" beginning Oct. 10 and ending Nov. 7, 2009.

This mid-season make or break test begins next week in Oxford, Miss. against the Ole' Miss Rebels, and stretches through the month of October, and ends when Alabama faces LSU in Tuscaloosa, Ala. on Nov. 7.

It consists of some of the SEC's best teams, and includes Ole' Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, and LSU in consecutive games.

If Alabama survives the SEC's version of the "Four Stages of Hell" undefeated, it should be in the proverbial "Driver's Seat" for returning to Atlanta's SEC Championship Game on Dec. 5, 2009.

Florida is already the odds-on favorite to represent the East in the SECCG, but the Western Division is still up for grabs.

Right now the race appears to be shaping up this way: Alabama, LSU, and Auburn are all still undefeated, and Ole Miss has one loss to South Carolina, who is part of Alabama's "Amen Corner" lineup.

Many consider Ole' Miss more dangerous now that they have lost, than when they were undefeated and ranked in the Top Five.  

The Ole' Miss Rebels are a talented team, but the question of whether they could handle the pressure of being ranked with all the hype that comes along with that had yet to be answered.

I believe that question was answered when the Rebels' offense obviously choked in Columbia, S.C. at the hands of South Carolina's excellent defense. 

If Alabama had faced an undefeated Rebel team, their chances of winning would have been greatly increased. Now Ole' Miss is free of that extra pressure, as proven by their 23-7 thumping of Vanderbilt in Nashville on Saturday night.

Expect the Rebels to be playing fast and loose when they face the Crimson Tide this Saturday, and expect Ole's mss to bring their A-game as well.

On the other hand, Alabama was obviously missing one of its best defensive players, Dont'a Hightower, Saturday in Lexington, Ky. The nation's No. 2 defense gave up just over 300 yards in offense to the Wildcats, which is well over their previous average of just over 200 yards per game.

The Wildcats were ranked No. 108 in passing offense, and that does not bode well, because Alabama must now face Ole' Miss's highly regarded passing attack next Saturday.

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