Auburn Football: Tigers and Gene Chizik Played Big Part in Alabama's Title Shot

The Alabama Crimson Tide are headed to the national championship game against LSU, but they owe more to their hated rivals than most 'Bama fans would like to admit.

If you ask any hardcore Alabama—or Auburn—fan what they think about the other team, they'll tell you something along the lines of, "I want them to lose every game!"

That, my friends, is the dumbest thing they could possibly say. 

The line between being a fan of one team and being just a hater of another team is very thin, and very fuzzy.  

First, we'll address Gene Chizik.  Chizik did not "submit" to the Tide as the superior team, but he clearly respects the hell out of them.  He voted Alabama No. 2 in the Coaches' Poll.

When the battle for No. 2 was known to be a close one and could be swayed but just one voter, Chizik voted for his fierce rivals, the Crimson Tide.  That is the epitome of a class act.  

Is he hated by Auburn for voting for the Tide?  I say with the utmost certainty, no.  I am a very big Alabama fan, but I recognize the Tigers as a quality opponent that represents our state with a great deal of dignity, which is exactly how Chizik sees the Tide.  

You see, most Alabama and Auburn fans are not blithering Updykes.  Sure, they squabble on the "interwebs" and take cheap shots at each other, but the real fans seem to enjoy it when the other team meets success in every game but the Iron Bowl—or at least, they do in my fantasy world.  

There is the key problem with, "I hope they lose every game."  Why?  Because you hate them?  Alabama fans in Bryant-Denny cheering, "UTAH STATE!  UTAH STATE!" during their own season opener was a statement of pure foolishness.  

Had those fans gotten their way, what would be the outcome?  What if Auburn had lost one more game—a game against a horribly outclassed opponent?  Your opponent's record comes into play in the BCS computers, and Alabama barely edged out two out of six computers.  One more loss for Auburn could mean Oklahoma State going to the title game.

That is my second point.  I wrote an article earlier this year, about how Auburn's Succes Could Be Blessing in Disguise for the Tide.  Be warned—it does have a heavy Alabama bias, but does hold a lot of truth.

I'm not trying to rub salt into the wound, but Alabama blew Auburn out of the water.  But Auburn is a solid team; a very solid team, considering the turnover rate from last year and the high quantity of underclassmen on the field.  What if Auburn had been an eight- or 10-loss team when the Tide beat them, like many 'Bama fans would like?

Who in the world would that impress?  

Oklahoma State ran Oklahoma into the ground in a fashion eerily familiar to the Iron Bowl.  In a way, the voters seemed to think Auburn is a better team than Oklahoma.  Auburn has more losses, certainly, but they played a horrendous schedule.  

The bottom line is this: Alabama owes its bid for the title to themselves, the Auburn Tigers and Gene Chizik.  The Tigers' relatively outstanding play was a crutch for the Tide's resume.  Auburn only lost games to highly ranked opponents.  

As an Alabama fan, I didn't want Oregon to reign supreme in 2010.  Likewise, I believe many Auburn fans don't want LSU to be "Alabama State Champions."

True fans of Auburn and Alabama are true fans of the state of Alabama as a whole.  It's one of the greatest states in the nation, and is home to the undisputed kings of college football.  

Wear that crown proudly, and always remember this:  Auburn and Alabama are year-in, year-out quality teams.  That speaks volumes when you say, "My arch-rivals are one of the best teams in the country."

Once again, props to Gene Chizik for giving credit where credit is due.  

Give the Cavaliers hell.

Signed,

An Alabama Fan