I was screaming at the TV to call the timeouts and save the clock. On the other hand, if you do that, Tennessee probably gets a few yards closer and maybe it’s not blocked.

I really don’t know what the thinking was behind it. I guess our staff just felt really confident about our block units’ ability to get to a 44-yard field goal, given how low Lincoln’s kicks were.

I’m pretty sure there’s a new rule about calling timeouts consecutively..I think you can only call two in a row now or something before being penalized…

That kick would have been 44 yds, I believe.

Going into that kick, UT’s PK was 1/4 from 40+ yards, with his one success being a low pressure situation late in the game against Ohio. Two of those misses from 40+ had already happened in our game: one block which wouldn’t have had a chance to begin with, and the other falling short right before half.

I think Saban was confident in this kid’s lack of confidence at this point.

our D looked pretty tired and porous. (they’d given up like 80 plus yards on 6 or 7 plays since the fumble recovery) and you have to consider that Lincoln was 1 for 3 going into that kick having missed from 47 and having a 43 yarder blocked.

i’m not sure is CNS did evaluate those things at the time, but it would seem to me that if he did, he erred on the side that favored us most, and it worked out. so it was either genius, or luck, or both. but i prefer to think of it as fate. The Legend of Terrence Cody simply would not allow us to lose. saban must have felt that somewhere deep in his gut.

…we’re talking about here…of course it’s brilliant strategy.

Saban knew his opponent and knew that in a time crunch and having to think on his feet Kiffin would panic and fail to call the correct play to edge closer to a field goal. Neither Crompton nor Kiffin have shown good game management skills—apply pressure then at all costs, make them beat you.