Posted:
#1
This is a match up I'm really looking forward to and I believe will be tightly contested despite what many others may believe and despite how each team performed in their last games. I admit, after each of these teams last games I immediately thought that Bama would roll Texas. The thought process was simple...Texas struggled against a Nebraska team that has a great defense but no offense and now they face a Bama defense that is better and has a offense. Simple ha? However after looking deep into this game, this will not be as easy for Bama as people may think.
Texas backers are pointing to the fact that the Longhorns are statistically the best run defense in the country. However, we all know the Big 12 is a pass happy offense with very few teams that run the ball well. The two best rushing offenses Texas has faced are Oklahoma St (23) and A&M (30). So I don't think there as good as their 62.3 avg they allow, but they still have only allowed only 62.3 per game and that is a sign of a great D no matter who they are facing. I believe this run D will do just enough to slow down what Bama does so well....run the ball.
I, like many others have knocked the fact that Texas is not as good a run defense as their stats may show because the Big 12 is pass happy....but let's look at the otherside. Their pass defense is much better than their number 25 ranking. I believe it is their pass defense that will be the difference in this game. Texas, week in and week out has faced some of the best pass offenses in the country and they have held their own. In fact, they have faced 4 top 20 pass offenses (two in the top 10)!!! Now they face a team who we all know struggles to stretch the field. IMO Bama's inability to stretch the field will hurt them in this game. Texas will stack the box and force McElroy to beat them and I don't think he can.
But I'm not sure forcing Bama to be one dimensional is enough. Another key to this game is Texas' passing offense. I'm confident Texas will not get anything on the ground so it is imperative that McCoy is on point tonight. To compensate the lack of running game, it is imperative that the Longhorns get many dinks and dunks for 3-4 yards a pop. And Bama can do this as they have the offense (18) and McCoy to do this. And also, Bama is vulneralbe in their pass defense.
I know they are ranked 8th in pass defense, but simillar to Texas being ranked 1st in run defense in a pass happy conference, Bama is ranked 8th in a conference that doesn't feature hardly any good passing teams so they are not as good in this aspect as you may believe. They have faced a total of four teams that rank in the top 50 in pass offense and they have struggled against these teams. In all, Bama defense allows an avg of 168.8 a game, but in these 4 games where bama played against teams in the top 50 in passing, that avg is 229.25 which would be 77 in the country!!!! It's easy to have a statistically great pass defense when you are playing against the worst passing offenses in the country. Face it, VaTech is 95, LSU is 97, Miss st is 113, Kentucky is 114, and I haven't even mentioned out of conference.
Bottom line, I believe Texas' overall balance on offense and defense will give them a shot at a straight up win. Also, please do not forget that Bama kick return defense is 116 in the nation and Texas is 4th in kick return yards. They are led by DJ Monroe who is 2nd in the nation in return yd avg. This may be the difference in what I believe will be a close game.
BOL all...Horns for me.
Texas +4
Texas backers are pointing to the fact that the Longhorns are statistically the best run defense in the country. However, we all know the Big 12 is a pass happy offense with very few teams that run the ball well. The two best rushing offenses Texas has faced are Oklahoma St (23) and A&M (30). So I don't think there as good as their 62.3 avg they allow, but they still have only allowed only 62.3 per game and that is a sign of a great D no matter who they are facing. I believe this run D will do just enough to slow down what Bama does so well....run the ball.
I, like many others have knocked the fact that Texas is not as good a run defense as their stats may show because the Big 12 is pass happy....but let's look at the otherside. Their pass defense is much better than their number 25 ranking. I believe it is their pass defense that will be the difference in this game. Texas, week in and week out has faced some of the best pass offenses in the country and they have held their own. In fact, they have faced 4 top 20 pass offenses (two in the top 10)!!! Now they face a team who we all know struggles to stretch the field. IMO Bama's inability to stretch the field will hurt them in this game. Texas will stack the box and force McElroy to beat them and I don't think he can.
But I'm not sure forcing Bama to be one dimensional is enough. Another key to this game is Texas' passing offense. I'm confident Texas will not get anything on the ground so it is imperative that McCoy is on point tonight. To compensate the lack of running game, it is imperative that the Longhorns get many dinks and dunks for 3-4 yards a pop. And Bama can do this as they have the offense (18) and McCoy to do this. And also, Bama is vulneralbe in their pass defense.
I know they are ranked 8th in pass defense, but simillar to Texas being ranked 1st in run defense in a pass happy conference, Bama is ranked 8th in a conference that doesn't feature hardly any good passing teams so they are not as good in this aspect as you may believe. They have faced a total of four teams that rank in the top 50 in pass offense and they have struggled against these teams. In all, Bama defense allows an avg of 168.8 a game, but in these 4 games where bama played against teams in the top 50 in passing, that avg is 229.25 which would be 77 in the country!!!! It's easy to have a statistically great pass defense when you are playing against the worst passing offenses in the country. Face it, VaTech is 95, LSU is 97, Miss st is 113, Kentucky is 114, and I haven't even mentioned out of conference.
Bottom line, I believe Texas' overall balance on offense and defense will give them a shot at a straight up win. Also, please do not forget that Bama kick return defense is 116 in the nation and Texas is 4th in kick return yards. They are led by DJ Monroe who is 2nd in the nation in return yd avg. This may be the difference in what I believe will be a close game.
BOL all...Horns for me.
Texas +4
0
MONEY
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