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Alababma 21 Notre Dame 28

College

<META content=http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1179862!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/searchthumbnail_75/weiss11s-2-web.jpg itemprop="thumbnailUrl"><META content="Dick Weiss breaks down his three keys to victory for Notre Dame and Alabama in Monday night's BCS Championship game." itemprop="description"><STYLE>.story-body .story-img .credit{margin-right:10px;}.story-body .story-img .caption{margin-left:-10px;padding-right:10px;} #vertical + ul li:first-child{background: url("/nydn/img/static/bg/share-dot.png") 0 bottom repeat-x;padding-bottom:7px;margin-bottom:7px;}</STYLE>Notre Dame vs. Alabama for BCS Championship: Three keys to victory for the Fighting Irish and Crimson Tide

Irish need to get vaunted defense in gear early and often while 'Bama must make sure they get the ground game going.

By Dick Weiss / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Updated: Monday, January 7, 2013, 7:35 AM<!-- SOCIAL LINKS article_top END -->



Danny Johnston/AP

If the Irish hope to win, they better pressure 'Bama QB AJ McCarron.




Dick Weiss breaks down his three keys to victory for Notre Dame and Alabama in Monday night's BCS Championship game.

NOTRE DAME

1. Redshirt freshman quarterback Everett Golson has made huge progress the second half of a perfect season as a passer, but he has only thrown for more than 250 yards twice. The Irish will likely need at least one, possibly two big plays in a low-scoring game, and may have to resort to trick formations to catch the Alabama defense off balance.

2. The Irish defense will have to put added pressure on Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron (r.), hoping he makes the same mistakes he did during the Tide’s lone loss to Texas A&M, when he threw two interceptions.

3. Notre Dame will have to find a way to control time of possession without abandoning its normally conservative, mistake-free offensive game plan against a carnivorous 3-4 defense. The Tide has only given up 13.4 first downs a game and is limiting opposing teams to just 79.8 yards rushing.

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Everett Golson will need to make at least one big play to give the Irish a shot at beating Alabama.


ALABAMA

1. The Tide must keep its running game rolling. Alabama has two workhorse backs in Eddie Lacey and freshman T.J. Yeldon, who both gained over 1,000 yards this season. Lacey was the best player in the game against Georgia in the SEC championship game, rushing for 181 yards and two touchdowns.

2. Alabama’s defense must be aware of potential mismatches in the secondary when the Irish run formations to free up 6-6, 251-pound tight end Tyler Eifert and running back Theo Riddick.

3. The Tide must make sure Golson, who has been given more freedom to make plays with his feet in the second half of the season, doesn’t turn into Johnny Manziel.

PREDICITION: Alabama 17, Notre Dame 14

That 9.5-point spread seems high, but we still like the Tide in a close game because ’Bama has been here before, has a better running game, can match Notre Dame defensively and has Nick Saban, who is a master game planner and makes adjustments better than anyone if he has time to prepare. Irish pride won’t let this one get out of hand.




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