Alabama Football: Why A.J. McCarron and the Tide Will Roll Past the Tigers

It isn't always pretty, but the Crimson Tide just keeps on rolling. 

Heading into No. 1 Alabama's date with Missouri, Nick Saban's reigning national champions are 5-0 and haven't lost a game since November of 2011. 

And that's not going to change against Mizzou Tigers, who are currently winless in SEC play. 

That's because Alabama is perfectly suited for games like this. A.J. McCarron will lead them down the field on scoring drives when needed, and, as has been the case for the last two seasons, the defense will be virtually impenetrable.

At first glance, McCarron's numbers aren't overly impressive, as the junior quarterback hasn't thrown for more than 220 yards once in 2012.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, that really doesn't matter. 

McCarron may not post elite numbers, but the guy does more than enough to win games, as evidenced by the fact that Alabama's closest game thus far was its 33-14 win over Ole Miss on September 29th. 

Against the Rebels, McCarron found Amari Cooper for two touchdowns, giving the Tide a 27-7 lead going into halftime. From there, the Tide went into cruise control, and as usual, McCarron didn't need to be spectacular down the stretch. 

It's the same game plan that helped Alabama roll past LSU in the BCS National Championship Game a year ago. 

Sure, McCarron's stat line was better, as the then-sophomore passed for 234 yards and won Offensive MVP honors for his efforts, but the Tide won 21-0 without scoring a touchdown. 

That's because McCarron managed the ball well and led Alabama on seven drives that resulted in field goals, and it's also why he's a reasonably safe bet to lead the No. 1-ranked Tide to another national title this season. 

Against Missouri, McCarron will help the Tide continue that journey and lead Alabama past the Tigers.