Handicapping professionally since 1988 and as a hobby since the childhood in the 70s, I have seen countless times when a team rallies around an injury short-term. In football, when a new QB comes in there is often an element of surprise. The team with the new QB has a lot more experience practicing with a player than their foe has film in scouting the QBs weaknesses.

As well as Cardale Jones played in his debut, the bottom line is he is a third string QB making his second career start against a spectacular defense in one of the highest pressure games anyone could face.

Unlike Wisconsin, Alabama now has actual game film to dissect on how to stop him and plenty of time to do so. The Tide will have a chip on their shoulder from 2013 Iron Bowl and the Sugar Bowl. The latter was an easy Wise Guy winner for reasons we gave you at the time, but now we have an angry Bama squad.

Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart said although the Crimson Tide are not as dominant on defense as they have been in previous run-ups to a national championship, they have progressed throughout the season and are eliminating the big play.

Yep this could be a shutout.