musso
Member
Just reviewing the seasons we didn't win the national championship (oh the privilege!) ... consider the quality of the teams that beat us and how narrowly most of them beat us:
2007: Ok, first season for a new coach taking over a program in a historic downward spiral ... Saban managed a winning record, a bowl win, and every loss would be by no more than one score, including only a one possession loss to eventual national champ LSU.
2008: Lost to the first of several Heisman-national champ combos, Tebow and UF. Lost lead in the 4th Qt to two Heisman-worthy TD drives by Tebow. Then lost to arguably the best Utah team in school history which finished 13-0.
2010: Lost to Spurrier's best S. Carolina team (made it to the SEC champ game!) in what I swear was Stephen Garcia’s best game ever, going 17/20 and 3 TDs.
Lost by 2 points at LSU, which included a clever faked FG by Miles, which led to a 1 yard TD on the ensuing play.
And as in 08, lost to another Heisman-national champ combo, Cam and AU, by 1 point, after being up 24-0 early.
2013: Lost by means of a miraculous kick-six to AU, who would come one defensive stand away from beating FSU in the Natty.
Then lost to OU in the bowl game against another stellar QB performance (Trevor Knight went 32/44, 348 yards, 4 TD). Easy to understand these 2-game losing streaks (08 and 13) when the first eliminates your contention for the national championship while the second is a “meaningless” bowl game. It would have been a another one possession loss if not for AJ fumbling and OU recovering for a TD in the final seconds.
2014: Lost by one score at Ole Miss and finally to eventual national champion Ohio State in the play off by one score again.
2016: Lost on the final play of the Natty to Clemson, with a QB (Watson who finished 3rd and 2nd in the Heisman race in ‘15 and ‘16 respectively).
2018: After perhaps the most dominant season ever with arguably Saban's most talented roster, we lost badly to Clemson in the Natty. I still don't understand it. The Clemson QB (Lawrence) would finish 2nd in the Heisman two seasons later in 2020.
2019: Lost a one possession game to another Heisman-national champion combo in Burrow-LSU. And then another crazy one score loss to Auburn with two inexplicable pick 6's to help Auburn.
2021: Lost on the final play at A&M and finally to Georgia in the Natty after capturing the lead in the 4th.
2022: Lost on the final play of the game twice in the season, once in OT on a surprising, unforced 2 Pt conversion. For the first and only season in Saban's tenure at Bama, he didn’t play against the eventual national champion.
2023: Lost to Texas (eventual play off participant) and then on the final play of the playoff in OT to eventual national champion Michigan.
This was a ridiculous run, guys. So happy I was around to see it!
2007: Ok, first season for a new coach taking over a program in a historic downward spiral ... Saban managed a winning record, a bowl win, and every loss would be by no more than one score, including only a one possession loss to eventual national champ LSU.
2008: Lost to the first of several Heisman-national champ combos, Tebow and UF. Lost lead in the 4th Qt to two Heisman-worthy TD drives by Tebow. Then lost to arguably the best Utah team in school history which finished 13-0.
2010: Lost to Spurrier's best S. Carolina team (made it to the SEC champ game!) in what I swear was Stephen Garcia’s best game ever, going 17/20 and 3 TDs.
Lost by 2 points at LSU, which included a clever faked FG by Miles, which led to a 1 yard TD on the ensuing play.
And as in 08, lost to another Heisman-national champ combo, Cam and AU, by 1 point, after being up 24-0 early.
2013: Lost by means of a miraculous kick-six to AU, who would come one defensive stand away from beating FSU in the Natty.
Then lost to OU in the bowl game against another stellar QB performance (Trevor Knight went 32/44, 348 yards, 4 TD). Easy to understand these 2-game losing streaks (08 and 13) when the first eliminates your contention for the national championship while the second is a “meaningless” bowl game. It would have been a another one possession loss if not for AJ fumbling and OU recovering for a TD in the final seconds.
2014: Lost by one score at Ole Miss and finally to eventual national champion Ohio State in the play off by one score again.
2016: Lost on the final play of the Natty to Clemson, with a QB (Watson who finished 3rd and 2nd in the Heisman race in ‘15 and ‘16 respectively).
2018: After perhaps the most dominant season ever with arguably Saban's most talented roster, we lost badly to Clemson in the Natty. I still don't understand it. The Clemson QB (Lawrence) would finish 2nd in the Heisman two seasons later in 2020.
2019: Lost a one possession game to another Heisman-national champion combo in Burrow-LSU. And then another crazy one score loss to Auburn with two inexplicable pick 6's to help Auburn.
2021: Lost on the final play at A&M and finally to Georgia in the Natty after capturing the lead in the 4th.
2022: Lost on the final play of the game twice in the season, once in OT on a surprising, unforced 2 Pt conversion. For the first and only season in Saban's tenure at Bama, he didn’t play against the eventual national champion.
2023: Lost to Texas (eventual play off participant) and then on the final play of the playoff in OT to eventual national champion Michigan.
This was a ridiculous run, guys. So happy I was around to see it!
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