The Argument For Why Alabama Will Not Lose A Game In November

As the 2014 college football season begins to wind down the first annual College Football Playoff race heats up as the calendar turns to November. It has been a season full of twists and turns, but the craziest month historically is November.

The long time saying in college football has always been “the games in November are the ones you remember.” This will be even truer this season with this new four team playoff.

Conference races across the country shift into high gear and the race to make the final four of college football is on the mind of more than a dozen teams.

The SEC West has been the top division in all of college football this season and as the season winds down the Western division of the SEC is still the best. The teams in the SEC West have begun beating up on each other now that the schedule has gotten tougher and these teams have started to face each other.

One of the top contenders in the SEC West has been the Alabama Crimson Tide and now that November has arrived their schedule hits the home stretch. The Crimson Tide suffered a loss the first week in October when the Ole Miss Rebels beat them in a game for the ages.

The Tide have been anything but dominant this season, but I am going to make the argument that the Crimson Tide will not lose another regular season game this year. The Tide are hitting their stride at the right time and it will pay big dividends now that we have hit November.

I feel the Tide will finish November unbeaten and represent the SEC West in the SEC title game in Atlanta come December. There is one huge reason I believe Alabama will finish the regular season 11-1 and have a perfect 4-0 finish to the season.

That huge reason I believe Alabama will finish November unbeaten is the schedule. The biggest reason I came to the conclusion Alabama would finish the 2014 season at 11-1 is the way their schedule shapes up in November.

The Crimson Tide start their November schedule this coming Saturday in Death Valley against LSU. The Tigers have been the biggest challenge to the Crimson Tide in their past run of success. The LSU Tigers currently sit at 7-2 and one of the hottest teams in all of college football.

I believe this game on Saturday will be the biggest challenge to Alabama and if they manage to get by this game, which I believe they will, they will no doubt represent the SEC West in the SEC Championship Game in December.

The following Saturday, on November 15, the Tide host the number one team in the nation Mississippi State. I know most people will feel this will be the toughest game in November for Alabama, but the fact this game is in Alabama will be the difference.

The Bulldogs of Mississippi State are not used to this type of pressure being number one so late in the season and it will eventually get to them.

Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott admitted last weekend, following their narrow victory over Arkansas, that he pressed and tried to force the action. This is a scary thing to hear from Prescott if you are a Mississippi State fan and I believe against Alabama their magical run will end.

The Crimson Tide then face Western Carolina in what amounts to another scrimmage game to get prepared for Auburn in the Iron Bowl. A game like this in November is what makes people upset at the SEC and their weak scheduling habits.

It’s November, the stretch run of the season, and Alabama and other SEC teams are playing teams like Western Carolina while other power five conferences are playing tough conference rivals. It’s a joke for the SEC, but they get a pass for it just because it’s the SEC.

Last, but not least the Alabama Crimson Tide finish the 2014 season and November off with the Iron Bowl as they do every year. Auburn beat Alabama last year in a game for the ages and prevented Alabama from a possible three peat.

This year Auburn has to travel to Tuscaloosa and I believe this will be the difference. I am a huge believer in home field being the deciding factor in college football more than any other sport in the world. This has been the case for years and only the elite of the elite seem to win on the road in marquee college football games.

I believe Auburn can be one of those elite teams to win a tough game on the road, but this year I feel Alabama will find a way to win. It will be a close battle that comes down to the wire like last year, but the Crimson Tide will have the home field behind them unlike last year in Auburn.

So, I feel the fact their schedule ends favorably, in terms of home and away games, will be the reason Alabama finishes 2014 at 11-1. This will get them in the SEC title game where they will face an inferior SEC East opponent.

Alabama will be huge favorites in the SEC title game, no matter which SEC East team they face, and they will then be one of the four playoff teams. This would come just months after people said the Alabama dynasty is over and Nick Saban has lost his edge.

It will be a strong finish for Alabama and the rest of the country and SEC will be its main witness. The Tide is back and for opponents that is a scary thought. Saban has not lost his edge and the Crimson Tide are primed to make yet another national title run in 2014.