Alabama finishes 9-3; both Auburn and Tennessee fall

I try hard to pick with my head and not my heart when I have occasion to pick an Alabama football game. I’ve never tried to pick the whole season ahead of time before, but Finebaum laid down 7-5 as his prediction in April, and I just don’t see that. This was too solid a football team last year, unambiguously done in by poor coaching in at least 4 of its 7 losses.

I have the Tide at 9-3, as follows:

September 1 (Western Carolina). This is as good as a first game for a new coach gets, presenting ample opportunity to shuffle personnel, try schemes, and otherwise experiment. Said experimentation will keep the score out of the stratosphere. Alabama 44, Western Carolina 6.

September 8 (at Vanderbilt). Everybody ready for Vandy’s 23rd consecutive breakout year? Alabama 30, Vanderbilt 17.

September 15 (Arkansas). Houston Nutt needs 10 Ws this year to keep his job. Alabama needs to avenge one that came down to kicking last year and shouldn’t have. Sorry, Coach Nutt; can’t help you. Alabama 27, Arkansas 20.

September 22 (Georgia). The SEC is full of great coaches, and Mark Richt is one of them. I expect Georgia’s late-2006 ascendence to continue into 2007, including dealing Coach Saban his first Alabama loss. Georgia 22, Alabama 17.

September 29 (Florida State [Jacksonville]). It’s been a big off-season in Tallahassee, with once-unthinkable occurrences: significant numbers of people suggesting that it might be time for Coach Bowden to retire. I expect his substantial retooling, primarily the addition of Jimbo Fisher, to pay dividends. FSU will be 3-0 coming into this game, and I think ‘Bama drops another one. Florida State 28, Alabama 20.

October 6 (Houston). Lots of folks are picking Houston to repeat as Conference USA champions, but this is still the SEC. Alabama 34, Houston 17.

October 13 (at Mississippi). I wish Coach Orgeron were more effective, because it’s definitely a lot of fun having him around. But he has trouble translating his recruiting into wins, and this might be his last year in Oxford. ‘Bama wins, but gets caught looking ahead just a bit. Alabama 27, Mississippi 23.

October 20 (Tennessee). I expect Fulmer to have another good, but not great, year, finishing 9-4 or thereabouts. Unfortunately for him, this is one of the 4, as the team that led this one for 52 minutes last year has rediscovered its ability to close the deal. Alabama 22, Tennessee 19.

November 3 (Louisiana State). This is always a big game, magnified this year for obvious reasons. Unfortunately, in the intangibles department, I think “you done us wrong” is going to trump whatever Saban might know about LSU’s stellar personnel. Louisiana State 31, Alabama 21.

November 10 (at Mississippi State). I’ll always wonder how it would have been if we’d hired Croom instead of Shula. Sadly, this is a decent coach with not nearly enough to work with in Starkville. Chalk up another vengeance win. Alabama 34, Mississippi State 16.

November 17 (Louisiana-Monroe). Alabama 52, Louisiana-Monroe 10.

November 24 (at Auburn). I think I have LSU winning the West. I think I have Auburn 9-2 headed into this one, having lost to LSU and either Florida or Georgia. I think I have Tubs stopping at the thumb. Alabama 24, Auburn 23.

Cotton Bowl, maybe?

Thanks to secsports.com for the image.

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