Alabama Football: A Realistic Preview of the Tide's Upcoming Season

Michael  Inglis by Analyst Written on July 13, 2008
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Reading many other articles and comments by other SEC fans, I see that very few people are taking the 2008-2009 Alabama football team seriously.  According to most people I've heard from, Alabama will not do a thing this year.

Not a nine or more win season.

Not finishing any better than third in the West.

And God forbid the mention of a SEC Championship.

I've even read where one man said Bama will be lucky to win five games this season.

Five games?  Wow, that's all?

I fail to see the logic behind that statement, considering they won seven last year, not to mention the close losses to Georgia in overtime, LSU, Mississippi State—and of course, the loss that never should've happened in Louisiana Monroe.

So with a change here or there, Bama could've and really should've won at least eight or nine games last season.

However, like many other SEC fans like to tell us Bama fans, let's not dwell on the past (referring to the Bear Bryant Era).

Of course, I am a Bama fan, but I tend to be objective in most subject matters that I debate.  I don't make outrageous predictions like an undefeated season with a National Championship, like many do.  Like the headline says, this is a realistic preview of the Tide's upcoming football season.

Before I get started, let me explain how I am determining this.  I will not be doing a game by game analysis, because in college football and especially the SEC, it's just too hard to determine which individual games a team will and won't win.

How many LSU fans would've told you that they thought they were going to lose to Kentucky and Arkansas last season?  Probably zero.

My technique is to group the games in sets of threes.  This way you should be able to get a more accurate outcome.  So let's get started.

 

Group 1: Clemson, Tulane, Western Kentucky

This stretch will end either 3-0 or 2-1.  Of course, the one loss would be to Clemson, with the game being played at a neutral site, the Georgia Dome.  I wouldn't be surprised either way by the outcome here.

However, for argument's sake I'm going to say Clemson wins this one.  We all know they are a first half team.

A loss to Clemson (or any other out of conference team) is not a huge deal because I don't expect Bama to contend for a National Championship this season.

After three games, 2-1 (0-0 SEC)

 

Group 2: @ Arkansas, @ Georgia, Kentucky

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written on July 13, 2008 Preview/Prediction

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