First thoughts
ALABAMA’S numbers have been uttered so many times that they’ve ALABAMA ARKANSAS lost the ability to amaze (210 consecutive weeks in the AP Top 25, 162-23 under Nick Saban, etc). That doesn’t mean they should be ignored. With a 52-3 win vs. Arkansas, GEORGIA KENTUCKY the Crimson Tide capped a fifth unbeaten regular season under Saban. This incarnation, though, might be the best of all But it’s not for the obvious reasons: Heisman contender
SOUTH CAROLINA Mac Jones, RB Najee Harris (22 TDs), Biletnikoff favorite DeVonta Smith (1,327 receiving yards, 15 TDs), et al. Rather, it’s because of this: The Crimson Tide has won its 10 games by an average of 32 points whiile averaging nearly 550 yards (a Saban high). The clincher: It’s done so while playing only SEC opposition. No stat-padders; only teams from a conference that has produced 45 of the past 128 firstround NFL draft picks (35.1%). So strong is its resume that, considering Florida’s 37-34 upset loss to LSU late Saturday, the Tide still should make the playoffs even if it loses to the Gators in the SEC final.
TRADITION has been one of sport’s great casualties of 2020. But the pandemic couldn’t take down Army-Navy. Moved to West Point for the first time since 1943, Army got the only TD of the game from Tyhier Tyler and defeated Navy, 15-0 — its first shutout in the series since 1969 — in front of both corps and President Donald Trump. Of course, tradition was the only winner. Stylistically, it was a game unseen since perhaps, well, 1943 as the teams combined for 12 first downs and 279 total yards.
COVID WLLING, next Saturday will make up for all that this one lacked. A look at the early betting lines for the biggest matchups of conference championship Saturday, according to sportsbettingdime.com:
Big Ten • Noon • WPGH Ohio State by 201⁄ vs. N’western 2
Big 12 • Noon • WTAE Oklahoma by 41⁄ vs. Iowa State 2
ACC • 4 p.m. • WTAE Clemson by 7 vs. Notre Dame SEC • 8 p.m. • KDKA Alabama by 141⁄ vs. Florida
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