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Sugar Bowl Preview- Alabama v Utah **
[i]This is the seventh in a series of ten bowl previews for this bowl season.  The top ten bowls are ranked here. 
This year’s Sugar Bowl features a matchup of SEC runner-up Alabama and BCS Buster and Moutain West Champion Utah.  The interest in this game will be very high, as the Mountain West is beginning to make a strong argument for inclusion in the BCS process each year.  Alabama, of course, had a year that exceeded everyone’s expectations, and announced to the world that they are back as a player on the national stage.  Both teams have strong defenses and play a tough brand of football.  On to my prediction…
Alabama pulled in so many highly-touted recruits in Nick Saban’s recent class that many thought it was only a matter of time before they were competing for SEC and National Titles again.  But I don’t think anyone without Crimson PJs thought they’d be this good this year.  Sure, I predicted they would upset an overrated Clemson team, but I never thought they’d be #1 and undefeated, and back in Atlanta for the SEC Championship.  That being said, this wasn’t some fluke.  They are a very, very good team, and have probably re-climbed the mountain to stay (at least for the remainder of Saban’s tenure).  Senior leadership from a QB is extremely important, and in John Parker Wilson the Tide benefited from some of the best quarterbacking in the conference.  RB Glen Coffee was a beast all year, and freshman sensation Julio Jones could probably start for several NFL teams this weekend.  The SEC Championship game, which marks their only loss, was the greatest game of the season, and the Crimson Tide played largely mistake-free.  The point is, they proved themselves, even in defeat.  Another player to note is fan favorite and beast DL Terrence “Mount” Cody (an aside: ‘Mount’ is a cool nickname for your son, if he’s freaking huge, but not so much for your daughter, for a variety of reasons).  He and his mates will be gearing up to stop Utah’s rushing attack.
Kyle Whittingham has Utah on a roll, a roll that was started when he was on Urban Meyer’s staff.  Winning a BCS game to complete an undefeated season of his own would help him climb out from underneath Meyer’s shadow to put him into consideration for top-level head coaching openings.  Utah won a tough-fought contest over TCU, and their 48-24 thumping of BYU assured their BCS destiny, as they won the Mountain West Conference championship.  Outside of conference play, the Utes had an opening weekend win over Michigan (which doesn’t look so impressive any more) and an early October victory over Oregon State, which was again a close game.  This team did not blow out many teams.  They do emphasize the run, and have 3 players with over 100 rushing attempts, including QB Brian Johnson.  Leading rusher Matt Asiata averages 5.1 yards per carry, but backup QB Corbin Louks actually leads the team in this stat, as he has 27 carries for 218 yards on the season.  Utah has a lot to be fired up about, including wrapping up their undefeated season and showing they belong on the field with the ‘big boys’ of college football.  Alabama’s tough style of play will be a physical challenge (not a Double Dare reference) for Utah, but it also means if they play with a high level of intensity they have a chance in this game.
Alabama has to be disappointed in losing their #1 ranking, undefeated season,  SEC and BCS Championship dreams in their last game, but their season can still be considered a success.  Nick Saban is also too good of a coach to allow his team to lose focus, and the undefeated record should get enough of their attention.  Utah is a great story, and a very good team who deserved to get this bowl bid.  But this Alabama team will just be too talented, too fast, too deep, and too big for Utah to handle.  It is not completely out of the question that Utah hangs around or even wins the game, but I think the disappointment of what Alabama lost out on will be overwhelmed by the glory they regained this season.  Urban Meyer in 2005 learned how a rabid Alabama fan base can will a team to victory while they are on their ascent, and it is time for Kyle Whittingham to learn the same hard lesson… I’ll take
Alabama, 30-17.
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