Alabama Crimson Tide, Auburn Tigers, College Sports, J.R. Tidwell, Sports, Sports Columnists
 By  J.R. Tidwell Published 
5:56 am Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Alabama wins title game

Alabama did it. They beat LSU bad enough that critics wouldn’t start crying co-champs.

In my estimation, one of the two teams actually showed up for the National Championship game ready to play for a trophy.

In case you don’t know which one I mean, let’s just say that team wasn’t wearing purple and gold.

The Crimson Tide came out with a great strategy — prevent LSU from scoring, and we will eventually. That is exactly what happened.

I spent the game sitting in between two Alabama fans that were nervous the entire game.

I was the exact same way last year when Auburn beat Oregon.

I came into the room and made a deal with them; if they didn’t badmouth Auburn, I wouldn’t say anything disparaging against Bama.

It was a win-win for me — my only concern was the Coaches’ Trophy staying in the SEC. I didn’t really care who won.

Alabama won with a shutout, the first since Tom Osborne was leading an unstoppable Nebraska team in the early ‘90s.

Like my brother said that night, all LSU had to do was not get blown out and they would have a decent chance at being named a co-champ if nothing else.

The problem was, the Bayou Bengals defied history and were defeated for the first time in a bowl game in New Orleans.

On a side note, one of my friends was curious about why New Orleans is called “The Big Easy.” One popular theory is that the city was one big speakeasy during Prohibition. Makes sense to me. Also, another name for a speakeasy was a blind tiger. Coincidence LSU? Yeah, I know they’re in Baton Rouge. So what?

As much as I hate to admit it, the Crimson Tide team that played Monday night was without a doubt the best team in the country at any point this season, so give them the trophy.

At least that makes three championships in a row for Alabama schools. Now if only Auburn can keep the trend going next season.

Four-peat anyone?

Also on Franklin County Times
Cameras give law enforcement a leg up
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
March 25, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE – Police Chief Chris Hargett was at a conference in 2020 and while passing by some of the vendors there, he noticed one promoting a camer...
Defense project has public, vets ‘excited’
Main, News, Z - News Main
By Brady Petree and Addi Broadfoot 
March 25, 2026
BARTON— The queue of people clamoring to get into the Hadrian facility on Friday was lined down the sidewalk as members of the public and military vet...
Flanagan enjoys romance book cover modeling
Main, News, Phil Campbell, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
March 25, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — What started as a few comedy videos on TikTok has grown into a career that has taken Andrew Flanagan from a welding job to romance nov...
Still waiting for rural ambulance answers
Columnists, Opinion
March 25, 2026
Rural Alabama has been waiting decades for access to affordable health services — and despite the empty promises of a bill funneling millions of dolla...
GFWC focuses on Alzheimer’s
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
March 25, 2026
The GFWC Book Lovers Study Club focused on Alzheimer’s awareness during its March meeting at Russellville First Baptist Church. Alzheimer’s disease gr...
Pitching is key focus for Patriots
College Sports, Sports
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
March 25, 2026
The 2024-25 collegiate baseball season was a solid one for the Northwest Shoals Community College Patriots and head coach David Langston knows what it...
Patriots build on strengths for fourth season
College Sports, Sports
By Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
March 25, 2026
The softball program at Northwest-Shoals Community College continues to grow as it enters its fourth season since being relaunched. Head coach Angel B...
RHS boys soccer aiming for state run
B: Spring Sports, High School Sports, Russellville Golden Tigers, ...
By Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
March 25, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The boys soccer team is off to a strong start this season and is aiming for a deep playoff run. Coach Larsen Plyler said the team has t...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *