The BCS is Out, the BCS is Out!

What am I, the Paul Revere of College Football or Something?

By Caroline Davenport 

Remember when I told you during the first weeks of the season that I wanted to see the real Alabama come out and play? Well, the team’s here, and it’s playing.

And rightfully so.

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Alabama is not only ranked No. 1 in the AP poll, which has been around since week one, it is also ranked No. 1 in the newly-minted BCS poll. Now, the BCS and AP have quite a few discrepancies between teams and their rankings, but naturally, Alabama is the team the stands above them all. And the team is not only ranked No. 1 in those polls; they’re ranked No. 1 in the popular USA Today poll and the ESPN.com Power Ranking, both valid polls that a lot of people pay attention to.

So what makes Alabama No. 1 ?

They have an explosive offense lead by A.J. McCarron, who is only in the middle of the pack for ESPN’s Heisman Watch. Yes he has great stats, but according to these so-called “Heisman Experts,” McCarron is old news; he’s great, but he’s not new. He’s not cool and shiny like Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston and Johnny Manziel; and his stats are expected from of him because he’s a senior. Oh, and don’t forget he’s done the whole “National Championship” thing a couple times.

What makes Alabama’s offense so great is not just a great quarterback, but also an excellent front line. Those guys get no credit for all the work they put in, and Alabama’s offense would severely suffer if it did not have a great offensive line. McCarron has only been sacked 7 times so far this season, and compared to last year when he was sacked 22 times, it sounds like they’ve figured something out.

A great offensive line can do wonders for a team. They not only protect the quarterback, they also provide openings for great running backs such as T.J. Yeldon and Kenyan Drake to get tons of carries throughout the game. And bonus, Yeldon and Drake are both only sophomores!

Another reason Alabama is No. 1 is because of its defense.

Well, of course; Nick Saban is coach, and he is a defensive mastermind of genius, so we all expect Alabama to have a good defense. But at the beginning of the year, I wasn’t singing the same tune. I was most impressed with Alabama’s offense, but a little disappointed with it’s defense. Obviously the Nicktator whipped these boys back into shape, and since their close call with Texas A&M, they have not allowed a team to score more than a touchdown on them.

Finally, Alabama is No. 1 because…they’re Alabama. I’m not saying Alabama gets any special treatment in the polls (it does), but they have the precedence to keep being No. 1, regardless if they have a loss. A one-loss Alabama team will always make it to the National Championship. But a one-loss Oregon or Stanford team…I’m not so sure.

I think I’m rolling with the Tide again, and thank God, because I was afraid Alabama fans were going to poison the trees in front of my yard or something. (30 for 30’s “Roll Tide/War Eagle” anyone? Sorry, I’m just a big sports fan, okay!?)