Bama's Big Test

All too often in this day and age of collegiate football, everybody is offense oriented, and the presumption is that if the offense isn't blasting the opponent out of the stadium that the team is dysfuntional. That, my friends, is a bogus idea.

Alabama's offense moved the ball up and down the field with relative ease against a very determined tradition SEC rivalry, the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Yes, getting into the end zone offensively proved difficult. Truthfully, it should be difficult. If your opponent is playing all out and laying it on the line, by golly, it's suppose to be difficult to score.

So how did Alabama score it's two touchdowns? (Actually the Tide scored three touchdowns, but because the officials fell asleep at the wheel, the recovered fumble that Domeco Ryans carried into the end zone was negated.) The Tide scored defensively and decisively.

That's what Champions do. They find a way to win. Alabama did it rather significantly. In less than three minutes into the second half, Alabama put State out of the game with a recovered fumble and a pass interception.

Would Coach Bryant have loved it? Absolutely! The old houndstooth hat probably gave the defense a tip of the hat.

It was good old defensive football. What is that saying? The best offense is a good defense?

Now the Tide faces it's toughest challenge of the season: The Bengal Tigers of LSU.

Alabama must again focus, prepare, and concentrate on playing a total ball game when LSU rolls into Tuscaloosa.

It's been four years since the Tide beat LSU. It's time for the Tide to Rise and Roll!

The Tide and the Mississippi State Bulldogs

"We control next week," linebacker DeMeco Ryans said. "We can't control the national picture. There's no need to get all concerned or bent out of shape. We can't control it. We still have to win each week."

This should be Alabama's mantra. This has to be Alabama's focus. Eight games are now history. The only thing that matters right now is Mississippi State. No Alabama fan, player, or coach can for one second think that the trip to Starkville will be a gimme. Every person who wears, bleeds, sweats, and loves the Crimson needs to focus on the Bulldogs of State. There is one certainty you can count on: Coach Sylvester Croom will have the Bulldogs of Mississippi State University ready to pull the upset of the year. That would make their entire season worthwhile. The time to relish the win over Tennessee will come again after the season.

The fans and the Tide need to focus on one thing: BEATING MSU!Forget the previous games. A loss to MSU will make the previous games meaningless. Champions don't dwell on the past. Champions look to the next immediate challenge.Everybody together, in unison, get ready to strap on those chin straps and get ready for Headgears and Shoulderpads. Let's help the Tide Roll to a win over State. It won't be easy. Champions are always the opponent's most desired target. To play like champions, Bama must practice, prepare, and anticipate like champions; and so should the fans. Let's Roll!