Front Porch FootballOrange Bowl: Alabama vs. Oklahoma
by Brendan Paschal
As I was standing in a Lifetime Fitness locker room, I overheard two men talking to each other. The conversation went as such.
Man 1: “So who do you think will win the college football playoff?”
Man 2: “I’ve got Oklahoma winning it all.”
Before we continue the story let me be clear – I am not my brother, Chris, aka the “Rain Man of College Football.” Sure, I can carry a conversation and I enjoy watching it on Saturday, but I don’t seek out arguments about the topic. However, there were children in this locker room, and I could not stand idly by as some moron corrupted the youth of society with such ignorance.
As I turned my head towards the moron he simultaneously dropped his towel to change. Fast forward and you find me walking out of the locker room embarrassed and angry. I should’ve said something…Well now is my chance for redemption.
Player to Watch
If you think there is player more important than Kyler Murray, then you’re just as ignorant as the man in the locker room. He is the only reason Oklahoma made it into the playoff in the first place. Although Tua Tagovailoa is a phenomenal quarterback, the SEC Championship proved Bama can win without him, too. Oklahoma’s offense could not function without Murray.
Key to the Game
Defense. It really is that simple. The team with the better defense will win this game. And that team will be the Alabama Crimson Tide. While Bama is in the Top 10 in total defense Oklahoma is barely in the Top 110. That’s right, the Sooner defense is 108th in the FBS out of 129 teams. North Carolina – the team that went 2-9 this year and fired their head coach – had a better defense than Oklahoma.
Now this horrible defense will face one of the most dynamic offenses Nick Saban has ever had. I don’t care that Kyler Murray won the Heisman, or that he looks like a video game. It won’t matter because Alabama’s defense will stop Murray one way or the other, and let’s just say Sarah McLachlan might have to do another commercial for the abuse this Oklahoma defense is going to recieve.
Stat of the Day
No matter the outcome, the stat to look for is Kyler Murray’s total yards. It won’t be hard to find after the first quarter because the announcers will be talking about it non stop. Either they will focus on how good of a quarterback Murray is because he’s putting up great yards, or how unreal this Alabama defense because they’re stopping the Heisman winner.
Conclusion
Heisman trophy, Bama players suspended, oranges in a bowl, no matter Bama by 90.
