Youthful Crimson Tide rising ahead of schedule
ATLANTA — Alabama coach Nick Saban wanted to play No. 9 Clemson in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic for several reasons. He wanted the national prime-time exposure of the opening Saturday night. He wanted his No. 24 Crimson Tide to have a presence in this recruiting hotbed. He wanted his young team that has 14 freshmen on the two-deep to play in a bowl-like atmosphere.
In sum, Saban wanted his team to play this game so he could prepare for a future when it would be ready to contend for championships. In the wake of Alabama’s 34-10 victory, that might have been Saban’s only miscalculation.
Future? The future is now. If Alabama continues to play as well as it played Saturday night, the Crimson Tide will play in the Georgia Dome again this season — in the Southeastern Conference championship game.
espn.com
8/31/08
Magnolia Tribune
