BCS National Championship Bowl Game Spread: Texas Longhorns (45) vs. Alabama Crimson Tide (-4)

It will be #1 Alabama against #2 Texas for the BCS crown on January 7th at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The Crimson Tide has yet to record a victory over the Longhorns in eight previous matchups. The two schools last met at the Cotton Bowl in 1982.

Texas (13-0 SU, 5-7-1 ATS)

The Longhorns survived a scare in the Big 12 title game to reach this point. Senior quarterback Colt McCoy is already the winningest quarterback in the history of college football. He has fired 112 TD passes in his career while guiding the club to a 45-7 record as a starter. McCoy helped the Longhorns to rank 3rd in the country in scoring offense during the regular season. His favorite target is senior wideout Jordan Shipley. He ranks in the top 5 in the country in receptions (106) and receiving yardage (1363). On the ground, freshman Tre’ Newton leads the club in rushing with 513 yards.

Texas brings an outstanding defense to Pasadena. The Longhorns lead the country in rushing defense while ranking third nationally in total defense. The Texas defense leads the nation in interceptions with 24. Sophomore defensive back Earl Thomas is tied for second in the country in interceptions with eight. Freshman D.J. Monroe has provided a spark for the club on special teams. He is second in the nation in kickoff returns with an average of over 35 yards per return. Head coach Mack Brown is hoping that history will repeat itself at the Rose Bowl. Four years ago, his Texas squad defeated USC in Pasadena to capture the BCS title. In 12 years at Texas, Brown has posted a record of 128-26.

Alabama (13-0 SU, 8-4 ATS)

After a dominant win over Florida in the SEC championship game, Alabama is favored to capture its first national title since 1992. The offense is led by Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram. The sophomore running back is fifth in the nation in rushing with 1,542 yards. Ingram is complimented by the club’s passing game. Junior quarterback Greg McElroy was solid in his first season as the squad’s starting signal-caller. He fired 17 touchdown passes and was intercepted only four times in 314 attempts. Top receiver Julio Jones (42 receptions) is a difficult matchup for most opposing defenders.

The Alabama defense is even better. The Crimson Tide lead the nation in scoring defense while ranking second in total defense. Junior linebacker Rolando McClain is the heart and soul of the unit. In the secondary, sophomore Mark Barron led the SEC in interceptions during the regular season with seven. On special teams, Javier Arenas is a major threat. He is in the top 11 nationally in kick and punt return average. Like Brown, Alabama head coach Nick Saban will be seeking his second BCS crown. He guided LSU to the title in 2003. Since going 7-6 in his first season at Alabama in 2007, Saban has led Alabama to a 25-2 record over the last two campaigns.

2010 BCS National Championship Bowl Game Prediction:


Alabama 24 – Texas 21