for the destruction of the Drunken Garcia

This game will be a night game… kicking off at 6:45 on ESPN. The Arkansas v. Florida game will be on CBS.

Also, the South Carolina game is homecoming in Tuscaloosa.

…has still struggled running the ball a little. They’re rushing for about 70 fewer yards per game than Bama…and we’re a pretty balanced offense in terms of attempts. I can’t imagine that they will reach their 150-something yards per game average this week, and it should be a difference maker.

They also don’t stop the run nearly as well as we do (big surprise), and their special teams play has been worse than ours. Like every other game this season, we win unless we give it away.

• Remember how we thought we played poorly against a bad Kentucky offense by giving up 20 points and some success on the ground? Well, South Carolina has a great defense, too, and they gave up 26 points to South Carolina, plus 200+ rushing yards, and that was with Hartline missing a good bit. Maybe we were wrong from the outset, and maybe this Kentucky offense is a lot better than we expect. A combined 46 points against Alabama and South Carolina is pretty dang stellar.

• South Carolina might have the best pass rush in the SEC, and they combined for 0 sacks on 22 passing attempts. We struggled to rush the passer too against UK, and so did South Carolina. At some point, the UK offensive line deserves credit.

I feel better about our performance against Kentucky after that.

Bama can build off the game in practice and not be so timid when Norwood comes calling and he will. Saban goes up against a good in game coach this week.

will hit us with something big early in the game. Cornerback blitz or house blitz on our first major pass attempt of the game. In big games, he likes to try to cause a turnover early.

I am glad that we have enough weapons on offense that he won’t be able to safely eliminate one or more of our playmakers.

I’m tempted to load up the fam and go. Do the law students still have the obscene cheer contest for use during the HC parade, or did that become just way too politically incorrect?

’Bama opens up as a 17-point favorite over South Carolina.

Anyone think we’ve officially convinced the boys in Vegas?

want to see how Jerrell Harris does this game. He has some speed so maybe he is a good pass rusher off the edge.

This one I think definitely has potential to be a trap game. SC has looked pretty bad in some games and pretty good at times as well. I’m just not really sure what to think about this one, but I do believe that the Gamecock defense could step up and force some turnovers, which could be the difference in the game. Unless we play much better on offense than we did at Ole Piss, I really can’t see us making the spread in this one.

in the SEC. Make no mistake about it these guys are good, better than this Ole Miss bunch, and if we come out flat it could get scary. I’m glad this one is at night as the crowd will help keep us fired up. We need to not worry about the polls. the press, and Tebow but just focus on SC.

Their O-line seems to be smaller than some we have faced. They have only run for 114, 65, and 128 in their 3 SEC games. I think we stop the run and then hopefully get pressure on Garcia. He is their biggest threat by far and he is accurate only throwing 3 picks in 6 games. I would think they are going to have to throw it for 250 yards or more to beat us.

They have only played two games on the road and they were their worst games. It will be good to get them at our place.

There are several ways we can win this game- rush defense, turnovers, GMac passing, or Ingram running.

We can lose if we turn it over a few times, give up the big plays, or just have a flat game like Tulane last year or the FIU 1st half.

Logic would say Bama will win easily. But we need to remember from the beginning of the season people have called this a “trap” game because of where it is on the schedule. After Ole Miss we could be down. We need to hit them in the mouth right out of the gate.

Sacking Garcia on their first possession could be huge.

I would not be surprised to see GMac go long on our first possession. Norwood has 2 of their total of 3 INT’s which tells me their DB’s are not exactly ball hawks so going long early should not lead to a turn over.

I just can’t see SC beating 2 top 5 teams in the same season. They would remember this year forever if they could pull it off on Sat.

Bame by around 15, 28-13.

What did they do with Larry?

Phillip Sims broke the career passing yardage record in VA on Friday.

So does anyone have any insight as to whether Jerrell Harris will start in Hightower’s place now?

I wonder because he is listed at 215 lbs. compared to Hightower’s 250 lbs. and Nico’s 225 lbs.

Or will he be used primarily in passing situations?

We have some very pumped up guys on our team. That certainly says a lot for our Strength and Conditioning coaches. Well Done!

I certainly hope that the old Garcia shows up because he’s gotten better. I believe our pass rush will rattle him, but I think this is the night we have 2 backs go over 100 yards.

help Alabama in this game that didn’t exist when it was originally scheduled. In my opinion, things are shaping up nicely.

First, South Carolina is now ranked and, as Saban noted, they are only one touchdown away from being undefeated. Secondly, the game is at night and it is our return to Bryant-Denny after a couple weeks on the road.

I know that teams are usually expected to fall off in such circumstances, but I think that South Carolina’s ranking plus the return home after a couple of difficult road games will keep us pumped up. Saban doesn’t have to sell this as being a big game, because it is. He doesn’t have to sell South Carolina as a worthy adversary because they are.

Luckily, we have Tennessee before our Bye week, which is great because the coaches can use the whole “practice and play like hell and you’ll get some days off” routine next week.

I think we have a good blend of senior leadership (Cody, Johnson, Reamer, Washington, Arenas), veteran leaders (GMAC and McClain), and young leaders who lead by example (Julio, Ingram, Dareus). These guys push each other. They buy into everything Coach Saban preaches and they are motivated to win.

What will happen when we eliminate the drops and conservative play calling?

Bill Connelly is picking bama by an ugly 27, he’s been having a great year of picks, lets hope his maths are still rockin!

If Texas beats Oklahoma convincingly, they could retake the #2 spot.
Who cares, really? I’ll be ahppy if the NCG comes down to the SECCG.

heard when Roy Upchurch will play again? I haven’t heard Saban or anyone else say anything about him lately.

something i dont understand is that during every single game last year everyone was worried that the team would be “looking ahead” at the next “big” game. every week they proved people wrong. i kind of doubt any starter on this team is thinking of anything other than how they can play their best game against the gamecocks. they know what’s at stake. they know what an embarrassing loss feels like. they know they’re at alabama because they have a chance to play for the big prize.

everyone needs to read that article about rolando, and how he never forgets a mistake. that’s the attitude this team has shown show far.

IF the ole miss game would’ve been what people had imagined in the preseason—a clash of titans for control of the west—there would no doubt be a physical and mental letdown that could probably not be helped, and maybe this would be a “trap game”. fortunately we completely dominated defensively, and the majority of our offensive struggles were self-inflicted. plenty of mistakes they know they shouldn’t have made, and theyll be looking to correct them in this game. dont think saban hasnt chewed out and nitpicked every single failure and worked single-mindedly to ensure a repeat performance does not happen against the best team we’ve faced so far (since the hokies anyway).

after seeing how our team has performed in league play (and against VT), after reading the comments of the players after every game and seeing that they have the perfect attitude to be real winners, i have become confident that no team in this country barring florida has a chance of beating us. yes, i have partaken of the magical sugary red drink.

the only way alabama loses this regular season is either by an amazing string of sheer bad luck caused by the chaotic nature of the game, or we beat ourselves. these scenarios are no doubt VERY possible, though not very probable (knocking on wood).

so chill with your worries, bama fans. it’s homecoming. we have the more talented team. we’ll be at home. the fans will do their part to the nicktator’s satisfaction. we have a LOT more to play for, and the mindset and heart to get it done. the cocks have the talent to prevent a complete steamroll, and maybe even give us collective heart attacks, but i dont think they have any advantage when it comes to bama looking ahead. it’s something this team, this staff, and this coach simply does not do.

Oh, great Druid Lord of the Black Warrior…

venture hither from thy balmy abode, the putrid middle earth, to the stadium of Bryant-Denny, and impregnate thee with thou will to kick the ever-living shit out of the visored curmudgeon and his ballcocks! Shower the Crimson Elephant Men in golden dew, anoint them with your hostility! Hear our supplication, Oh Great One! Though we are mere plebians we worship thee!

We offer our finest these as sacrifice!