Order Has Been Restored to Crimson Tide Universe

I can already hear it now: Alabama was lucky. Alabama would have been killed if Colt McCoy hadn't gotten hurt.

Such is often the cry of losers but in this case there could be some truth to it. So what did we learn in the final college football game of the 2009 season? Here are some observations.

Jan. 8 is just too late to play a college football game. Alabama's passing game lost every ounce of momentum it gained after struggling at midseason. It was a team-wide breakdown. Receivers didn't get open, McElroy was hesitant, and the line forgot how to pass block.

Texas' defense is better than their recent track record indicated. They torched Alabama's offensive line with the pass rush all night and, for three quarters at least, contained Alabama's rushing attack though they never completely stopped it.

The one-two punch of Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson is as good a rushing combo as you are going to see. They hammered out over 200 yards rushing on the nation's best run defense even though they knew it was coming. That's about four times their average.

Marcel Darius is a rising star. The sophomore has become Alabama's best defensive lineman and his devastating hit on Texas quarterback Colt McCoy along with his interception return for a touchdown were game-changing plays that made the difference. 

He's been doing this sort of thing all year but he really put together his best game at the right time.

Rolando McClain is the best linebacker in America. He repeatedly sniffed out the Texas offensive plays and demolished them in the backfield.

Alabama is officially back.

The case can certainly be made that Texas is a better football team than Alabama but football is different from other sports in that skill and physicality can both get you the win or get you beat.

If you look at the stunning comeback Texas pulled off in the face of an 18-point deficit with a true freshman quarterback, it's easy to try to extrapolate that if Colt McCoy would have been in there Texas would have won going away.

We will never know for sure, but here is why Alabama will be wearing the rings.

Despite making several boneheaded plays in the first quarter and giving Texas the ball repeatedly in the red zone, Alabama's defense held Texas to six points.

During that span Marcel Darius delivered a jolting hit to McCoy, ending his night.

Alabama's offense rebounded in the second quarter and got physical with Texas' defensive front. Most of Alabama's rushing yards came from the second, during which Ingram and Richardson ripped Texas repeatedly up the middle.

Later, Darius intercepted a shovel pass, broke two tackles, pulled off a nifty spin move, and ran for a touchdown that would end up being critical down the stretch.

What happened after that was the part I hope to somehow forget.

Alabama came out the second half wanting to get it over with and celebrate while Texas came out a team possessed. The third quarter and much of the fourth was the stuff of nightmares for Tide fans.

Texas outplayed Alabama at its own physical game on defense and freshman quarterback Garrett Gilbert got hot.

Texas wide receiver Jordan Shipley made Alabama's secondary look like a bunch of fifth graders and scored two touchdowns when all Alabama had to do to win was not allow that.

Alabama's players found themselves staring into possibly one of the worst losses ever. A title game they should have won easily, but frittered away because they wouldn't finish.

That's when the years of training by head coach Nick Saban kicked in.

Greg McElroy, who had possibly the worst night of his career, came up with a critical third down completion.

Heisman trophy winner Mark Ingram, who was suffering from a foot injury and leg cramps, hammered out tough yards when he had to.

Alabama was eventually stopped but not until they had flipped the field position that had been against them the entire second half.

With Texas backed up in the shadow of its own goal post, senior linebacker Eryk Anders hit Garrett Gilbert hard from the blind side, jarring the ball loose. Alabama's Courtney Upshaw jumped on it and several plays later Mark Ingram pushed through the determined Texas players for the win-securing touchdown.

Texas' last chance was ended with Javier Arena's second interception of the night.

Alabama didn't play its best game to win the BCS National Title, but they played well enough. They made the plays that made the difference. They won by being physical and taking advantage of turnovers.

In the end you can say could of or would of, but Alabama will still be the 2009 Champions of college football.

Order has truly been restored to the Crimson Tide Universe.