Crimson Tide

This tale of seething conflicts aboard an American submarine on the eve of nuclear war is strictly by-the-numbers, but hardly ever are traditional elements executed with such panache. "Crimson Tide" is one of the rare times when a whole mess of commercial elements are thrown together and everything works out for the best. It's capped by taut performances by stars Denzel Washington (left) and Gene Hackman (right).

  A lot of people are making a big deal of the dispute Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron and center Barrett Jones had during Monday's 42-14 victory over Notre Dame in the BCS title game. Lakers star Kobe Bryant is one of them. But he's not criticizing him, he's pointing out that the flare-up is what made the Crimson Tide a championship team. "We just saw why bama will be bcs champs @10AJMcCarron and @barrettAjones not afraid to confront each other in order to win. #respect," Bryant tweeted after the incident . If anyone knows about confronting teammates, it would be Bryant.

Virginia Tech hung on for three quarters playing Beamer Ball. Alabama's superiority could not be denied in the fourth. Score another big season-opening win for the Crimson Tide. No. 5 Alabama overcame a 98-yard kickoff return, two costly turnovers and several silly penalties, finally wearing down No. 7 Virginia Tech in the final quarter for a 34-24 victory Saturday night. It was another rousing start of a season at the Georgia Dome for the Crimson Tide, which began a national title run in Atlanta last season by thumping Clemson.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - The only quarterback in the stadium Monday night who knew how to defeat Alabama wasn't allowed to take a snap. Johnny Manziel, the Heisman Trophy winner, watched from the stands, perhaps reminiscing about his team's upset win at Tuscaloosa on Nov. 10. Manziel plays for Texas A&M, however, not Notre Dame. Notre Dame's quarterback had no clue, but neither did anyone else in the Fighting Irish traveling party. Forty-four days and nights of biblical hype for this year's Bowl Championship Series title game produced not a classic, but a football flood.

Anyone with even a passing interest in college football is probably familiar with the incomparable legacy of Paul "Bear" Bryant, the late, legendary Alabama coach. The stadium in Tuscaloosa where Coach Nick Saban's No. 1-ranked Crimson Tide plays its home games is named in Bryant's honor. As are a conference center, a street, a bridge, an academic center and a high school, among other landmarks. At the Paul W. Bryant Museum, where a reunion is held annually for the more than 500 people named for the former coach, Bryant's achievements can be broken down numerically: six national championships, 14 conference titles, 323 victories, 29 bowl appearances, three unbeaten seasons.

Eryk Anders wouldn't have been there for Alabama if his father wasn't around when he needed someone most. After the Crimson Tide linebacker didn't play during Alabama's Independence Bowl victory over Colorado in 2007, his father pleaded with him to stick with the program. Hours later, Gayle Anders died of an apparent heart attack. His father's words still resonating more than two years later, the senior made one of the biggest plays in Alabama's 37-21 victory over Texas on Thursday night at the Rose Bowl in the Bowl Championship Series title game.

Some coaches would use the emotional pull of their final game as a motivational tool for their players. But not Alabama's Gene Stallings, retiring after the Outback Bowl victory over Michigan. "As I was telling the players . . . a lot had been said about maybe winning the game for me," he said. "And I wanted that to be the absolute furthest thing from their minds. I said, 'The only way you can embarrass me is to not play hard.'

Exhibiting uncharacteristic caution, reputed high rollers Bob Toledo and Phil Snow cleaned house, cashed in and cleared out before Alabama checked its pockets. Toledo, the UCLA coach, and Snow, the Bruin defensive coordinator, love to gamble. Toledo likes trick plays and long bombs. Snow likes blitzes and stunts. But key to the Bruins' 20-17, season-opening victory over the Crimson Tide on Saturday were Toledo's patience and Snow's restraint.

The fourth quarter belonged to Casey Clausen and Travis Stephens. Clausen and Stephens capped big games with late one-yard touchdown runs as No. 11 Tennessee defeated Alabama, 35-24, at Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday. Clausen was 21 of 28 for 293 yards and two scores while Stephens racked up 33 carries for 162 yards and two touchdowns for the Volunteers (4-1, 3-1 in the Southeastern Conference). "With the game on the line, we needed to step up and make plays," Clausen said.

Alabama running backs Dennis Riddle, Ed Scissum and Curtis Alexander gave the Blue-Gray college all-star game at Montgomery, Ala., a homespun flavor Thursday, each scoring touchdowns to lead the Gray to a 31-24 victory. Stephen F. Austin receiver Mikhael Ricks had six receptions for 106 yards, including a diving catch on a desperation pass at the end of the first half.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - Notre Dame's final stat line in the Bowl Championship Series title game wasn't pretty. The Fighting Irish had only 32 yards rushing. Tailback Cierre Wood finished with two yards in four carries "We just started slow," Wood said. "We didn't get off to a good start. " Wood said Alabama's defense was as advertised. "They didn't surprise me with anything," he said. Wood did say Alabama's experience in title games did serve as an advantage.

The Bowl Championship Series title game between Alabama and Notre Dame features two of college football's most storied programs and two of the nation's top defenses. Times staff writer Gary Klein examines the matchups between the Crimson Tide and Fighting Irish. Alabama rushing vs. Notre Dame defense Alabama features two 1,000-yard running backs. Junior Eddie Lacy has run for 1,182 yards and 16 touchdowns, freshman T.J. Yeldon 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns. Each averages more than six yards a carry.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - It is easy to embrace the thought Alabama will defeat Notre Dame in Monday night's Bowl Championship Series title game at Sun Life Stadium. Alabama (12-1) is on dynasty's cusp, seeking its third title in four years under Coach Nick Saban. People are already trying to compare Saban with Bear Bryant. "I wouldn't agree with that at all," Saban said in what was absolutely the correct answer. Notre Dame (12-0) hasn't won a championship since 1988, and many would say the Irish have been looking over a four-leaf clover since their opener in Ireland.

If you loved the Rose Bowl, you might also enjoy Monday night's Bowl Championship Series title game between Notre Dame and Alabama. Think of this as a pumped-up version of Stanford versus Wisconsin, a defensive, clock-control matchup that ended in a 20-14 Cardinal victory. Notre Dame and Alabama boast fine defenses and like-minded philosophies on how championships are won. Times staff writer Chris Dufresne examines the BCS title game's story lines. Take it or leave it No one said the BCS is perfect or that the best team has to win. You could even argue one-loss Oregon is the best-looking team playing right now. Notre Dame is 12-0 but survived several harrowing finishes to finish the regular season undefeated.

ATLANTA -- Alabama and Georgia haven't played in football since 2008 but won't be completely startled when they bump into each other at the Georgia Dome on Saturday. At stake is the Southeastern Conference championship - otherwise known as the "Bowl Championship Series title pregame show. " The programs are mirror images, with the same 11-1 record and boots-on-the-ground SEC mentality. "There's not a whole lot of tricks or gimmicks with us or them," Alabama Coach Nick Saban remarked this week.

- Alabama will play Notre Dame for the national championship in the game everyone wants to see, but only after playing the game no one wanted to end. File it to your smartphone memory or even carve it in a park bench: Alabama 32, Georgia 28. The attendance was 75,624 and the venue was the Georgia Dome. Crimson Tide fans will tell their grandkids about this game in 25 years while Bulldogs fans stomp their feet and plug their ears. It was tremendous, glorious, stressful and painful - all in the same three Saturday seconds.

As expected, Gene Stallings, who played and coached under Alabama legend Paul (Bear) Bryant, today was named head coach of the Crimson Tide with a promise to "carry on the tradition." Stallings, who coached at Texas A&M and in the NFL before his firing last season by the Phoenix Cardinals, was joined at a news conference by a gathering of former Alabama stars, including Lee Roy Jordan and Bart Starr.

Just wear black? Not when you can step out blazing like Yasmine Bleeth's tank or Suzy Parker's kisser.

Not one of the Three Amigos left in this year's national title race should be confused with the greatest teams in history. They shouldn't even be compared with the best teams in their own history. Notre Dame is hardly better than Lou Holtz's 1988 squad and Alabama can't match the firepower it had in 2009 or even last year. Georgia doesn't rate with its 1980 championship team unless there's a time machine that allows freshman Herschel Walker to walk through the front door. The three teams that survived to the final weekend represent the warmed-over best a flawed system can produce.

For the second straight week, Alabama finds itself clinging to its No. 1 ranking. Last week the Crimson Tide needed a last-minute touchdown to defeat LSU, 21-17, in Baton Rouge. Saturday, Texas A&M ran out to a 20-0 lead in Tuscaloosa before Alabama scored twice to cut the lead to 20-14 at halftime. A couple of weeks ago, people were wondering how powerful Alabama might fare against an NFL team. It was a ridiculous thought given what's happened to the Crimson Tide the last two weeks.