Alabama Deserves #1, but Do They Really Want It?

In the craziness of college football, some things should never cease to amaze you.

For example, anyone who counted out Texas Tech last night with 1:29 to go and down one was an outright fool.

The only more perfect ending to that game last night than Harrell to Crabtree would have been if walk-on Matt Williams kicked the game-winning field goal. Too bad Michael Crabtree wanted the end zone.

So, with the Texas loss, Alabama looks to be in prime position to take the number one spot in the AP, ESPN/USAToday, and BCS polls.

It is not like the Tide doesn't deserve this spot. Alabama has only trailed for 75 seconds all season, has a top five defense, and is averaging 32 points per game on offense while only giving up twelve.

The real question to ask yourself is...Does Alabama really WANT the number one ranking?

From a fan's perspective, this is something you want for sure. To say that you were at Alabama while the team was No. 1 in the country hasn't happened in the regular season since some guy named Bryant walked the sidelines.

However, the ranking seems to be a curse this season.

There have been four teams in the top spot this season: Georgia, USC, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Each team has one loss right now.

If this sounds familiar, it's because the same curse was on the number two spot in the polls last season.

In 2007, eight different teams held the number two spot in the country over the course of the season, and LSU found themselves in that spot three separate times and USC two different times.

For those of you keeping score at home, out of the 16 polls released from the AP during the season (Preseason-Final), the number two spot changed hands eleven times. Even more crazy, from week five on, there was a new team at number two every week through the end of the season.

On top of this curse, Alabama would be number one in the country for the first time in nearly three decades going into three games where the Tide is 2-7 over the past three seasons.

Sure, this is a new Tide team with a new attitude, but nothing could make a season for either set of Tigers than to beat No. 1 Alabama.

So, when the polls are released in the next few hours and the BCS later tonight, I would fully enjoy the idea of Alabama being the best in the land.

However, this is the best time for the voters to give that big boost to Joe Pa and Co. to ensure he wouldn't be left out of the title chase if his Lions remain undefeated.

So, here is my belated outcry to put Penn State at number one.

Keep Alabama at number two. They seem to really like it here.