The Hurricanes won some difficult games with defense. Alabama has won difficult games with defense and it has spent the last month collecting itself on offense after Prothro’s injury.

The Tide will give the ball to Darby 30 times, not the usual 20, and they will ride him for 150 yards. LSU will come to the line with eight on defense and 'Bama’s fifth-year senior quarterback, Brodie Croyle, will find a wide receiver for some big plays.

I think Alabama is due to break out, just like Miami was due to break out against Virginia Tech. I think Alabama rises to whatever level it needs to win, just like Miami last Saturday night in Blacksburg.

Even when he was ripping Alabama players for cheap shots and rooster crows in a 17-0 loss to the Tide last week, Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom said this about 'Bama:

“They know how to win.”

Croom, an Alabama grad, said there are teams with better talent, but the Tide seemed to have an extra edge that makes them win.

Don’t ignore that.

When you looked up and down at the Everyday Eight of the Chicago White Sox did you pick them to win the World Series? The Sox didn’t scare you when you looked at their numbers.

Now, toss in that ninth guy, the starting pitcher, and there was the complete picture.

Slide show   Week in Sports Pictures Flying on the hardwood, racing on the rink, getting physical on the gridiron, and much more. more photos

The ninth guy for 'Bama, their pitcher, is their defense. They are in football what the Sox had in baseball: a complete game. They also have the home field advantage against LSU.

So, while we’re on the subject of baseball, the Tide will hit another three-run homer in the ninth just like they did against Ole Miss and Tennessee and slips by LSU, 16-13.

You will start to look differently at Alabama early Saturday evening. The Tide will be 10-0 and you will remember this is the program of Bear Bryant and Joe Namath and 12 national titles.

You will have a little more respect and wonder not how the Tide could match up with Southern California or Texas, but how the Trojans or Longhorns would cope with this defense.

MORE FROM COLLEGE FOOTBALL

College football Section Front

SEC not all it’s cracked up to be Bowl Projections: Big Ten blows BCS spot Opinion: 10 bowl matchups that would be a treat CFT: ‘By the numbers’ — McCoy goes for record CFT: Iowa’s Stanzi could return for bowl game CFT: Meyer says Florida ‘lacking the big hits’ Tribe stops school from dropping nickname   Vote: Which is the best conference? CFT: Mystery over for No. 5 Cincinnati — Pike will sit Iowa-Ohio St. in-depth video preview, analysis College football Section Front   Add College football headlines to your news reader: