But the 2010 Bowl Championship Series national title game might be more about defense than anything else. It's certainly hard to argue with the numbers.
Top-ranked Alabama tangles with No. 2 Texas in the football championship game Thursday, Jan. 7, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. The clash of 13-0 teams is scheduled for 5 p.m. PST and will be telecast by ABC
In the spotlight will Heisman-winning Alabama running back Mark Ingram and Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, who was third in Heisman voting. But the two might not be the best players for their respective teams. Both the Crimson Tide and the Longhorns are loaded with talent — most notably on the defensive side.
Alabama's defense includes three Associated Press All-America first team — cornerback Javier Arenas, linebacker Rolando McClain and nose guard Terrence Cody. Texas has a first-team All-American in safety Earl Thomas.
Coach Nick Saban's Tide ranks second in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision in total defense, allowing just 241.7 yards per game. Mack Brown's Longhorns are third at 251.3. Alabama's first in scoring defense, yielding 11.0 points per contest. Texas is eighth at 15.2.
Alabama was sharp in its last game, overpowering then-No. 1 Florida 32-13 in in the Southeastern Conference championship game. Texas barely survived a Big 12 championship scrap later that night, nipping Nebraska 13-12.
The Longhorns are 7-0-1 vs. Alabama. But the teams haven't played since 1982, when Texas rallied for a 14-12 Cotton Bowl victory. Five of the meetings took place in bowl games.
Ingram Leads Tide with 18 TDs
Alabama averages 31.7 points and 413.8 yards per game, thanks largely to the hard-nosed Ingram. The sophomore has rushed for 1,542 yards and 15 touchdowns, and caught 30 passes for 322 yards and three TDs. He's backed ably by freshman Trent Richardson, who's run for 642 yards and six TDs.
Greg McElroy guides an offense that's turned the ball over only 10 times. The junior has connected on 61.1 percent of his passes for 17 touchdowns, with only four interceptions. He's protected by a line that includes All-American guard Mike Johnson.
Julio Jones is the leading receiver with 42 catches for 573 yards and four touchdowns, and Marquis Maze (30 receptions, 519 yards, 2 TDs) is also a solid threat. But the ground game is Alabama's bread and butter. The Tide rushes for 215.8 yards per game.
McClain, Cody Are Monsters in Middle
Middle linebacker McClain leads the Tide with 101 tackles. The 6-foot-4 258-pound junior has made 12.5 tackles for loss, including four sacks, as well as two interceptions. The 6-5, 365-pound Cody has just 25 tackles — 6.5 behind the iine of scrimmage. But he's been a magnet for blockers, creating opportunities for teammates.
Alabama has registered 31 sacks, with at team-high six coming from end Marcell Dareus. Arenas and linebacker Eryk Anders have five apiece.
Tide safety Mark Barron gained third-team AP All-America honors after intercepting seven passes and breaking up 10 others. The sophomore is also Alabama's second-leading tackler with 70.
The Tide's superb secondary also includes Kareem Jackson (1 interception, 12 pass breakups)l, Justin Woodall (3 interceptions) and Marquis Johnson (1 interception, 16 pass breakups). But the outstanding member is Arenas, who's recorded 66 tackles and three interceptions. The senior also has 12.5 tackles for loss.
Alabama, Texas Stocked on Special Teams
In addition, Arenas might be nation's best return man. He's averaging 29 yards per kickoff return —10th-best in the FBS – and he's fourth in punt returns at 16.3. Arenas has run back two punts for touchdowns.
Another special teams star is kicker Leigh Tiffin, a first-team AP All-American who's connected on 29 of 33 field goal attempts. But the Texas has a good one, too. Hunter Lawrence has nailed 22 of his 25 field goal attempts, is a third-team AP All-American.
The return teams feature D.J. Monroe, who is No. 2 nationally in kick returns with a 35.8 average. The freshman was suspended from the Big 12 championship game after being charged with DWI, but has been reinstated after the charges were dropped in a plea agreement.
Texas has returned three kickoffs for TDs, two by Monroe and one by Marquise Goodwin. And the Longhorns' Jordan Shipley has run back two punts for touchdowns.
McCoy, Shipley Ignite Longhorns
Texas usually doesn't need points from its return teams, as it averages 40.7 points and 432.4 yards per game. Leading the way again is McCoy, who has completed 70.5 percent of his throws for 3,512 yards.. The fourth-year starter has tossed 27 touchdowns with 12 interceptions, going frequently to pal and fellow All-American Shipley (106 catches, 1,363 yards, 11 TDs).
But several other receivers have stepped up, including James Kirkendoll (48 catches, 461 yards, 6 TDs), Dan Buckner (44 catches, 445 yards, 4 TDs) and Malcolm Williams (38 recepions, 546 yards, 2 TDs).
Pass protection will be crucial. Texas has yielded 30 sacks, including nine vs. Alabama. If the Longhorns can't do better vs. Alabama, they need to run quite well. They've used a whole host of backs for thhat purpose. Tre' Newton (513 yards, 6 TDs), McCoy (348 yards, 3 TDs) and Cody Johnson (333 yards, 12 TDs) are the three leaders in rushing yards.
Thomas Terrific for Texas
Thomas has been electrifying for the Longhorns. He's tied for second in the FBS with eight interceptions, and has broken up 16 passes. The sophomore is also second on his team in tackles with 71. The No. 1 tackler is middle linebacker Roddrick Muckelroy, who has 96 — including 11 for losses.
The linebacking corps also includes third-team AP All-American Sergio Kindle ( 62 tackkes, 18 tackles for losses) and Keenan Robinson (67 tackles).
Texas is sixth in the FBs, and seven have come from tackle Lamarr Houston, who leads the team with 20 tackles for loss. End Sam Acho has 13 tackles for loss and a team-high nine sacks, and brother Emmanuel has added 10 tackles for loss.
Safety Blake Gideon has five interceptions for Texas, which is second nationally in takeaways with 35. Texas is first inrun defense, giving up an FBS-low 62.2 yards. Alabama is second at 77.2.
Jon Matsune - Jon Matsune is a free-lance writer based in Northern California. He has 25 years of experience in newspaper journalism, mostly as a sports ...
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