Here we go again Texas vs Bama Part Deux but this time we are rolling into the hostile territory of Bryant Denny Stadium. Last year at this time we were 20 point dogs and didnāt stand a chance against Saban as he and his 5 star fueled Death Star came to Austin. This team included 3 first rounders and 8 total picks in the first 2 days of the 2023 draft but they needed to yet again injure a Texas QB and get some Big 12 ref magic to squeak out a 1 point victory. Was this a case of Saban slipping a little bit or was Texas and Steve Sarkisian finally pulling out of their decades of mediocrity? Based on how each team finished the season it seems like more of the former as Bama lost to Tennessee for the first time in Sabanās tenure while LSU and the fighting Kellyās beat them in an OT mid-off. During this time Texas finished 7-4 with a couple of big wins and a couple embarrassing losses.
To pull off the biggest win in years Texas has to do to buck the following trends:
1. Texas mediocrity: For the past 13 years Texas has been the laughingstock of CFB and failed to live up to expectations exactly once (2018) but even then lost 4 games including a laugher to Maryland. Can Texas finally win a monster on the road and officially claim to be back for good?
2. Sevin Win Sark: Out of his 7 full seasons as a head coach Sark has won more than 7 games only 3 times. Even his biggest backers here couldnāt name a matchup of this magnitude that he has coached his team to a win in. Will he be able to finally get a big win on the road and a new nickname by years end?
3. Sabanās Dominance at Home: Saban at Alabama has won 103 and lost just 8 games at home since taking over in 2007. The current streak sits at 21 games since a team last walked out of Tuscaloosa with a win. Has Saban finally jumped the shark
All the daunting trends and statistics aside here is why Texas is going to shut up all of the talking heads and pull out a dominating victory in Tuscaloosa:
1. Weāre fucking Texas: Other fanbases and media will laugh at the notion that the Texas decal on the helmet means anything but disappointment but since the beginning of time Texas has dared to play big games and more often than not came out ahead. Texas has a winning record against every other Blue Blood except USC and ND. If you exclude the annual matchup with OU the total record is 25-21. But what about on the road you ask? Texas in 9-8 in true road games against the non OU Blue Bloods. No University of Texas player, coach, or fan is going to be fazed by the atmosphere, this type of game is why you choose the University of Texas.
2. Sabanās Swan Song: It is no secret that Alabama has lost their CFB throne to Georgia over the last 2 seasons but they are still 1B in the CFB pecking order. Saban has built up a lot of trust in his program to warrant the #3 ranking in a year when they lost a Heisman QB, all world defender, and do it all RB. Recruiting rankings suggest they just reloaded and will keep rolling but this is not your Uncleās Alabama. To replace Bryce Young they tapped Jalen Milroe to assume the throne at QB despite their best efforts to buy an elite QB in the portal. If his game against the aggies is any indication than it will be a long night for Saban in Tuscaloosa.
3. Poetic Justice: Since that night at the Rose Bowl Texas has coveted a seat at the table that they once had a standing reservation at. Year after year we have had to sit by and watch an Alabama dynasty reel off championship after championship that was propelled by an injury to a Texas QB. Every dominant program has an alpha and omega when the world either knows you have arrived or that the end is near. In tandem the alpha and omega happened for Alabama and Texas on January 7th, 2010 while millions looked on. This Saturday will be the bookend moment for both of these programs as Texas beacons to the world that they are in fact back while leaving Alabama faithful wondering what will be next for their beloved program.
The stars are aligned for a big night for the Horns in Tuscaloosa this weekend. Quinn has an opportunity to show us why he is the highest rated QB of all time and cement his legacy as a Texas QB. Sark is gunning to come full circle from wonderkid when he was hired at UW to a seasoned veteran HC with a career defining year. This team fucks and will prove it on the field in primetime. See yall in Tuscaloosa, I will be in U4-CC. Hook āem
āThe pride and winning tradition of The University of Texas will not be entrusted to the weak or the timidā