Texas-Alabama Halftime Analysis

Mack Brown and offensive coordinator Greg Davis may have cost Texas the game with a terrible playcall. I understand that they thought that Bama's defense would drop back with 15 seconds left and that they could get some cheap yardage underneath, but they forgot to realize about Bama's defensive line and the fact that they would be stuffing the middle thanks to Terrence Cody.

Texas would have been better off if they rolled out quarterback Garrett Gilbert and had him throw to a receiver running a drag or comeback route, and that also would have most likely gotten them more yardage in comparison to if the shuffle pass would have been caught (and not intercepted by Bama for a touchdown).

Bama is clearly in the driver's seat now with a 24-6 lead going into halftime, and they have to be thankful that they're special teams mishaps (both of which resulted in turnovers which gave Texas great field position inside the Bama 40) haven't come back to haunt them. That is due to both their great inside rushing defense and conservative playcalling by Davis (and rightfully so, as Colt McCoy got hurt on the fifth play of their first drive on a second down).

The only shot that Texas has to win this game if McCoy doesn't come back is if they get a big play or two on special teams, an interception or two on defense that results in their offense getting the ball in Bama territory. Davis is goanna have to attempt to stretch the defense with Gilbert and have him take dead aim at receiver Jordan Shipley while also continuing to run the ball outside with Tre' Newton and D.J. Monroe (Davis should completely abandon their inside running game, as its getting them nothing). Their defense also has to gamble right away, as their secondary needs to go for interceptions instead of deflections.

Alabama just needs to keep giving the ball to running back Mark Ingram, and continue to be aggressive on defense. They should easily win this game if they can get their passing game going, and they should at least do better in that area than they have done so far. You know that Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban reminded his team that the game is not over, while also telling them that they are 30 minutes away from a national championship if they continue to execute on defense and avoid special teams mishaps.

Prediction: Alabama should win this game easy in the second half, barring a return and miraculous Tiger Woods 2008 U.S. Open-Terrell Owens 2005 Super Bowl performance from McCoy. Alabama wins this game 41-13, and Brown is ferociously criticized afterwards for his management of this game, while Saban gets off the hook for his fake punt gone awry.

I am predicting that Bama wins