Three Thangz: WKU vs. Alabama Crimson Tide
2016 is officially underway, and what a crazy first weekend of football we saw. Saturday was so nuts, that the Tops might have tripped up…
2016 is officially underway, and what a crazy first weekend of football we saw. Saturday was so nuts, that the Tops might have tripped up and lost to Rice if the game hadn’t been played on Thursday.
Anyway, the Tops now have their sights set on the defending champion Alabama Crimson Tide, and as if that wasn’t going to already be the toughest task of maybe the last half decade, they’re going into Tuscaloosa not just as the opponent for Bama’s first true home game, but with the Tide coming off the heels of a, for lack of a better word, complete and total dismantling of USC, who was a Top 25 team in the preseason polls.
So, lets learn a thing or two (or three) about the Tide prior to Saturday.
1.) I hate them
Okay, this may not be of the utmost importance, but I do. I was raised an Auburn fan and, I don’t care who you are or where you come from or what team you support, Auburn/Alabama is THE premiere rivalry in sports. Period. Okay, now that that is out of the way,
1a.) Nick Saban is literally never impressed
If there’s ever a “perfect” scenario for WKU heading into this weekend, they got it — Bama shellacked USC 52–6 on a neutral site. If Bama had come out and struggled, the Tops would be in for a rude awakening. But, after not allowing a touchdown to the Trojans and with Ole Miss coming next week, certainly everything is set up for the Tops to sneak up and catch the Tide by surprise, right?
Right?
right?
NOPE.
My word. WORK TO DO? I repeat, Lord help us come Saturday.
2.) Alabama attempted just 18 passes on Saturday, and completed 12 of them.
Not sure what exactly that says, but I know it says something.
3.) The Tide’s defense, on the other hand, allowed just 18 completions on USC’s 38 pass attempts
Now, this might be more offensive ineptitude on USC’s part than defensive dominance on Bamas part (although, I’m sure that certainly plays into it as well) but still, that’s rather impressive.
Well, I think I’ll safely confirm what has been the thought for months — WKU just might be screwed. But, remember, that Taggart 2012 team was up for the challenge and that team *only* lost 35–0. So, who knows. Stranger things have happend.
What are your keys to the game heading into Saturday? Let us know in a comment below or on twitter @TheTowelRackWKU.