Hot! Alabama Football

ARLINGTON, Texas It was supposed to be a Classic.

The 2012 Cowboys Classic didn't live as long as the actual pre-game hoopla assigned to second-ranked Alabama and eighth-ranked Michigan, nonetheless it was common in a single aspect: the Crimson Tide applied some sort of typical questionable clinic, developing a 31-point lead from the first 50 percent in advance of coasting into a 41-14 wining looking at the screen involving 90,413 fans on Saturday night, a Cowboys Stadium report for just a student soccer game.

The adventure seemed to be required to be a common confrontation concerning Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson's running flexibility plus Alabama 's stingy defense. And when interceptions by way of Dee Milliner along with C.J. Mosley - the first kind a Cowboys Classic record that established a touchdown, the other causing a touchdown - certainly bought exploding for the Tide for the reason that matchup, it had been this Alabama criminal offense in which stole the actual indicate having a methodical, talk strike which highlighted major complete plays by means of AJ McCarron and nice managing by simply T.J. Yeldon, but seemed to be often a blue-collar design that pointed out this Tide's real control with the Michigan defense.

"We performed fairly very well on criminal offense and did a okay occupation connected with going that ball," Alabama coach Nick Saban stated following considering the particular Tide's 31-7 halftime lead.

Previous battles between the 2 storied programs, constantly while in the postseason, were stimulating tilts that included a heart-breaking Alabama loss with a fourth-down go away finish by way of Michigan in a very 28-24 Wolverine success throughout 1987; some sort of Dwayne Rudd interception come back to get a touchdown that will gifted the Tide some sort of 17-14 earn with 1996; and a new Tom Brady touchdown go away regarding Michigan, as well as Ryan Pflugner's extra-point forget in which sealed a new 35-34 overtime wining from the maize plus glowing blue from the 2000 Orange Bowl.

If there were any episode of which originated in Saturday's matchup, it appeared to be in Alabama's backfield, the place that the really envisioned start associated with Lacy seemed to be overshadowed by means of the actual breakaway works associated with Yeldon, exactly who won the actual state's "Mr. Football" award last year at Daphne High.

Lacy experienced flashes associated with brilliance, however been able just simply thirty five back yards on eleven carries, hardly some sort of memorable attempt offered the particular taking over expectations placed about Alabama's frequent unpleasant line. Yeldon, around the additional hand, was elusive as well as split tackles, managing 111 yards on 11 holds that can certainly bring on fans' requires for any change inside starters before subsequent week's residence opener towards Western Carolina.

In fact, Alabama used some tailbacks, such as Dee Hart in addition to Jalston Fowler, plus typically made use of Fowler for a fullback, which usually designed middle Barrett Jones, protections Anthony Steen and Chance Warmack and tackles Cyrus Kouandjio and D.J. Fluker more dominant. The Tide's just flaw appeared to be a weakened operation in third-down conversions, a testimony to the complete speed of the Michigan safety each time that Wolverines could possibly obtain the actual Tide within totally obvious missing out on situations.