Do you agree that this is what our opponents are focused on after game one? (Photo- TDA Magazine)

Alabama Opponents, Let This Sink In

By: Larry Burton

Florida State was projected by just about every worthy sportswriter to make it to the National College Football Playoffs this season. They were supposed to have one of the most explosive offenses in the country. Whether they do now is highly suspect since Alabama knocked their best player out of the rest of the season, their very game player Deondre Francois, quarterback for the Seminoles.

But still with Francois in the game until the end, there is something Alabama’s opponents down the schedule had better let sink in. This bit of information should more than send a shiver down the spine of any opposing coach and team. That information is the result of Florida State’s offensive drive production.

Here are those FSU drives…

Turnover on Downs

Touchdown

Punt

Punt

Punt

Turnover on Downs

Punt

Punt

Interception

Interception

Punt

Punt

Clock Ran Out

That was 13 offensive drives with 12 failures from one of the best offensive teams in the country. So if you’re wondering just how good this year’s version of the Crimson Tide defense may be, there’s your answer.

While the game appeared close for a time, just how was Florida State supposed to win if they couldn’t score? Not only was the defense smothering, the special teams did them in by adding to the insult of another stalled drive with a blocked punt or forced fumble.

The fact that FSU could move the ball from time to time now means little when the end result of 12 of their 13 drives ended in zero success.

Now to be fair, Alabama has a lot of work to do on their side of the offensive ball too. Alabama had 13 drives as well and had only four of them result in points. But on the bright side, that FSU defense is one of the toughest this Alabama team will play just as FSU won’t play another defense as tough as Alabama’s.

But then no opponent on Alabama’s schedule is likely to play a tougher defense than Alabama’s. Yes, they lost two linebackers, but they had a five star linebacker, Ben Davis, one of the nation’s top linebacker recruits on the third string, so if they can fill any slot on the team, it’s at linebacker. So yes, Alabama’s defensive dominance is only going to continue.

Now when these facts sink in, does anybody really want Alabama?

Larry has been published in almost every media outlet for college sports and now primarily writes here for Touchdown Alabama. Follow Larry on Twitter for inside thoughts and game time comments at https://twitter.com/LBSportswriter

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