Let's be real...

[longislandcuse]

I look for FSU to be tough next year, I know Cook is gone but their Qb with a year under his belt will prove very difficult

Agreed. Their defense is going to be absolutely filthy. I'd rather have Francois going into next season than Hurts. They lose Cook but bring in Cam Akers... reload.

 

[NashvilleOrange]

ACC was better than the SEC this year and it was nice that last night provided some final validation. Went back and forth on my rooting interests but was happy with the final result... The ACC has surpassed the SEC in coaching talent, a lot if it thanks to Nick Saban. He drove off Urban Meyer, Les Miles and Mark Richt and an elite level coach would be wise to avoid taking a job in the SEC West. I would take Petrino, Fisher, Swinney and Fuente over all coaches in the SEC outside of Saban.

 

[longislandcuse]

ACC was better than the SEC this year and it was nice that last night provided some final validation. Went back and forth on my rooting interests but was happy with the final result... The ACC has surpassed the SEC in coaching talent, a lot if it thanks to Nick Saban. He drove off Urban Meyer, Les Miles and Mark Richt and an elite level coach would be wise to avoid taking a job in the SEC West. I would take Petrino, Fisher, Swinney and Fuente over all coaches in the SEC outside of Saban.

He's not proven and we better be ready to pony up the $$$ when the time comes but I'm absolutely sold on Dino. I think he's right up there with Fuente as an up and comer in the coaching ranks.

 

[ssbriefcase]

CU just gave MacIntyre a 3 year extension for $16.25 yesterday.

 

[Ward]

Bama's defense is great.

It's not all-time great.

In fact, the mystique of the Bama defense is, imo, largely due to playing in the SEC.

Clemson didn't get lucky. Clemson didn't play perfect. Clemson turned it over twice and gave up a blown coverage TD.

99 plays.
Over 400 yards
30+ points and they all came on long drives.

Bama's defense is a lot more like the recent Clemson defenses than it is some legendary group. Only difference are the leagues the two defenses play in.

As someone who watched Bama quite a bit this year, and admittedly love watching SEC football, that Bama defense was pretty legit. As someone else mentioned, they gave up 14 points in 3 quarters against Clemson then ran out of gas in the 4th due to being on the field for 99 plays.

Bama lost because their offense absolutely disappeared for 75% of the second half. Defense did all you could realistically ask of it and held up great for much of the game against arguably the best offense in the country.

 

[Ward]

Agreed the D wasn't as tough as I expected, although they looked very good early, but I think the game turned Clemson's way for good when the Bama running back went out. Felt like if they had him they would have done more at the end to eat clock and get some actual 1st downs.

Agreed, I thought Clemson's late success was more a product of Bama's offense not being able to give their defense a breather than it was Clemson figuring them out. Lots of missed tackles in the 4th that were TFL in the first half.

 

[Ward]

I was pretty impressed with Bama's defense. I was not impressed with Bama's QB. Defense played a great first half and then wore down as a result of the offense going 3 and out every possession.

Thought the exact same thing. If Bama put together one sustained drive to get points instead of run, roll out throw away, token deep shot with no chance and punt for 7 series in a row the defense probably gets a rest and has more juice in the tank late.

 

[longislandcuse]

As someone who watched Bama quite a bit this year, and admittedly love watching SEC football, that Bama defense was pretty legit. As someone else mentioned, they gave up 14 points in 3 quarters against Clemson then ran out of gas in the 4th due to being on the field for 99 plays.

Bama lost because their offense absolutely disappeared for 75% of the second half. Defense did all you could realistically ask of it and held up great for much of the game against arguably the best offense in the country.

SEC football is unmatched in passion and pageantry. I too love watching SEC football but I don't think Bama is tested like they would be in the ACC as crazy as it sounds. I'd say this year, the ACC was the SEC with some great QB play.

The best offense/QB Bama went up against was Chad Kelly/Ole Miss who put up 43.

 

[Melancer46]

He's going to be a good one though. I think. He's so young.

Agreed.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Might I ask... what is an all-time great defense?

Syracuse 1959 statistically was one of the great all-time defenses. Bobby Bowden said it was the best he ever saw.

The ’59 Orange outfit was No. 1 in the nation in total offense (451.9 yards per game) and in total defense (96.2 yards per game), it was No. 1 in the nation in rushing offense (313.6 yards per game) and in rushing defense (19.3 yards per game), it was No. 1 in the nation in scoring points (39.0 per game) and pretty close to it in giving them up (6.6 per game).

Only 19 yards a game rushing allowed !!! 96 yards a game in total defense !!

 

[retro44]

Think you nailed it. Saban hates the hurry up because he knows it levels the playing field against his great defenses.

Clemson ran 99 plays and that brought a huge smile on Dino's face and a frown to Addazio's face.

 

[UnknownOrange]

Syracuse 1959 statistically was one of the great all-time defenses. Bobby Bowden said it was the best he ever saw.

The ’59 Orange outfit was No. 1 in the nation in total offense (451.9 yards per game) and in total defense (96.2 yards per game), it was No. 1 in the nation in rushing offense (313.6 yards per game) and in rushing defense (19.3 yards per game), it was No. 1 in the nation in scoring points (39.0 per game) and pretty close to it in giving them up (6.6 per game).

Only 19 yards a game rushing allowed !!! 96 yards a game in total defense !!

That's incredible lol.

Bama also gave up 13 points a game this year going into the Clemson game. 13 in this day and age with up tempo offenses is also impressive. They did score 11 touchdowns this season too. That's crazy

 

[retro44]

Syracuse 1959 statistically was one of the great all-time defenses. Bobby Bowden said it was the best he ever saw.

The ’59 Orange outfit was No. 1 in the nation in total offense (451.9 yards per game) and in total defense (96.2 yards per game), it was No. 1 in the nation in rushing offense (313.6 yards per game) and in rushing defense (19.3 yards per game), it was No. 1 in the nation in scoring points (39.0 per game) and pretty close to it in giving them up (6.6 per game).

Only 19 yards a game rushing allowed !!! 96 yards a game in total defense !!

We lead the country that year in both offense and defense...can't find the stats,but they were insane as 8 out of the 11 teams had winning records that year

 

[Ringostar57]

Alabama D was head hunting from the start. Refs let it go...helmet to helmet hit on Williams...screw concussions.

 

[4evaOrange]

This game was won and lost with QB play.

 

[Ward]

SEC football is unmatched in passion and pageantry. I too love watching SEC football but I don't think Bama is tested like they would be in the ACC as crazy as it sounds. I'd say this year, the ACC was the SEC with some great QB play.

The best offense/QB Bama went up against was Chad Kelly/Ole Miss who put up 43.

Agreed, ACC was the best conference this year.

SEC while still fun to watch has no doubt been on the decline the past few years. I think a lot of it is the head coaching talent has fallen off. Petrino, Urban, Les & Richt (hot seat for couple years so hands tied), Franklin, Spurrier when he was still trying, etc. Those guys can run high quality programs and have all seen their respective schools take a dip after they bounced/when they were on their way out. Their replacements for the most part aren't going to or haven't been able to sustain success.

I wonder how much Bama's run has hurt the rest of the conference too. If I'm a big time coach why would I opt in to go against that machine every year when there are plenty of other good programs in other P5 conferences?

It's funny how Ole Miss has given Bama so many problems lately. They run tons of vertical routes and throw jump balls for chunk plays to their big strong receivers and Bama for whatever reason is awful defending those (see Mike Williams last night).

 

[Hoo's That]

Alabama D was head hunting from the start. Refs let it go...helmet to helmet hit on Williams...screw concussions.

Totally agree. There were some hits by the Bama D that bordered on being flat-out dirty play. I half-seriously said on our board last night that it was part of the Big XII's getting revenge on the ACC for not imploding.

 

[Chip]

It's kind of comforting to see that even Alabama has depth issues.

By the 4th quarter, those guys were tired, and Saban/Pruitt didn't have any answers.

It's what Dino ball will do to teams in the 4th quarter of games. Pitt game was a preview.

Dino ball just needs to get a few more hundred stops on D. And I think they will when they get more experienced.

 

[bcubs9497]

It's kind of comforting to see that even Alabama has depth issues.

By the 4th quarter, those guys were tired, and Saban/Pruitt didn't have any answers.

It's what Dino ball will do to teams in the 4th quarter of games. Pitt game was a preview.

Dino ball just needs to get a few more hundred stops on D. And I think they will when they get more experienced.

And some more third down conversions, and fewer false starts, and a better blocking OL.

 

[KaiserUEO]

fun game to watch.

enjoyed seeing WRs actually catch the ball, I didn't think that was possible after what I witnessed on sunday.

ACC football needs to be taken seriously.

it was a long draught for Championships '99-'13, but Clemson legitimized it here in '16.

a 3rd and 4th team will need to step up for real, but its good to see where theyre heading.

 

[Chip]

And some more third down conversions, and fewer false starts, and a better blocking OL.

Ok, settle down, a little harmless humor. No need to take it so personally. We're all swimming in the same boat here.

 

[KaiserUEO]

And some more third down conversions, and fewer false starts, and a better blocking OL.

theres a guy on D whom the coaches think could make the league as an OL...

 

[bcubs9497]

theres a guy on D whom the coaches think could make the league as an OL...

I know...

 

[longislandcuse]

Ok, settle down, a little harmless humor. No need to take it so personally. We're all swimming in the same boat here.

Need someone from the other division to become a power. Hopefully Richt does that with Miami.

 

[RF2044]

I don't know--I thought that the Alabama defense was completely legit. To be honest, I think that the game hinged on a couple of catches that Mike Williams made--uber athletic plays that nobody else on the field would have been able to make. Those plays extended drives and set up TDs. Most teams / players don't make those plays, so I don't view it as a breakdown on Alabama's part of them getting exposed--sometimes great players just make great plays, and no defense is impregnable.

Hats off to Clemson, they deserve all the credit in the world.