Alabama 6-6 (4-4), 3rd Southeastern - West
vs
Colorado 6-6 (4-4), 3rd Big 12 - North Division
December 30, 8:00 pm, ESPN
One year later, the Crimson Tide are back in the same place they were in 2006, but with a new coach. Nick Saban's first year in Alabama wasn't as good as he hoped it would be. The Tide started off the year winning 6 of their first 8, but skidded into the post season losing their last 4. Colorado won its last game against Nebraska but even with that win they lost 4 of their last 6 games, much the same fate as the Tide.
John Parker Wilson has shown at times he can be a good quarterback throwing for 2590 yards and 15 touchdowns. He struggled a bit down the stretch and is one of the reasons that the Tide lost their last four. It is hard not to look good when you have a wide receiver the caliber of DJ Hall on your team. Hall is an exciting receiver as he caught 63 balls for 947 yards and 6 touchdowns. Terry Grant is the leading rusher gaining just under 900 yards and 8 touchdowns. On defense the Tide are 40th against the pass and 57th against the run. Rashad Johnson leads the secondary with 6 interceptions on the year.
Colorado on offense is a pretty average team. Their team rankings show that an so do the stats. The coaches' son Cody Hawkins is the quarterback and on the year he threw for 2693 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. Hugh Charles is the leading rusher with just under 1000 yards and 8 touchdowns. The Buffaloes are weak against the pass but strong against the run and it doesn't help when as a team you average giving up more points (29) then scoring (27).
This is a bowl game between two BCS conference teams that does not excite me in the least. I watched both teams play before and Colorado seemed like a very vanilla team while Alabama showed sparks of good play, especially in the Arkansas game. If Saban wants his offseason not to be filled with turmoil, he better win this game, and I think he will. DJ Hall will score a few and the Tide will Roll to victory.
Alabama 29 Colorado 17
Picking Alabama to Win (56%)
ITB Brian Sakowski, Football Frontier, Bastard Sons of Pinfall Marks, The LSC Scoop, Rizzo Sports, ITB Ron Juckett, Sportsbone TV, Dan Schoonover, Pete Boivin, Jason Stiver, Greg Gowins, Lou Nemec, Sunny Verma, Lorena The Dodgerchick, Matt Kieta, Timmy B, Brian Isaacson, Logan Jaffe
Picking Colorado to Win (44%)
The Enlightened Spartan, Corn Nation, Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician, ITB Charlie Swager, Pitch Right, MidWest Coast Bias, Kansas It's Business Time, MizzouRAH, Jeff Brancolini, Cyril Tircuit, Rodney Polston, Mrs Corn Nation, Brant Chruscial, Richard Dixon
