Alabama vs. Notre Dame: BCS Title Game Will Rekindle Bitter Rivalry

Notre Dame and Alabama's clash in the BCS title game on Monday night will rekindle the spirited rivalry between the two major programs. Not since the 1970s have both programs been this good at the same time, and the competition has reignited bad blood.

Have you seen the mean-spirited Catholics vs. Cousins t-shirts (USA Today)? That's pretty nasty trash-talk between fanbases.

Legendary Crimson Tide coach Bear Bryant, never beat Notre Dame in four tries, and that included painful losses in the 1973 Sugar Bowl and the 1975 Orange Bowl.

The two teams have only met six times in their history, and the last game was a 37-6 beatdown in favor of the Irish in 1987. Alabama is just 1-5 in the six-game series.

Although the two teams aren't likely to clash in the regular season any time soon, they have a great chance to meet again in another title game.

Both 'Bama and Notre Dame are returning a healthy amount of starters in 2013. Sure, 'Bama will send their normal boatload of players to the NFL, but there is always more talent coming to Tuscaloosa.

Notre Dame has re-established itself as a boundless recruiting force across the nation as well. Because of those reinforcements and their current depth, the Irish can remain elite despite losing the likes of Manti Te'o and Tyler Eifert to the NFL.

According to 24/7 Sports, the two teams have recruiting classes that rank in the top four in the nation.

If they meet just one more time in a bowl game in the next three years, or possibly in a regular season game (though neither team has an open slot until 2015, per FBS Schedules), the rivalry will officially be reborn. 

It's a great matchup for college football. Though I expect the Crimson Tide to win on Monday night, the effects on the rivalry will be the same no matter the outcome of the game.

Something tells me we won't have to wait another 25 years for the next Crimson Tide-Fighting Irish clash.

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