Alabama-Texas Head Bowl Game Lineup

There is much good about bowl games. What is not good is one bowl game -- the BCS National Championship Game -- making all the others irrelevant. To be sure, most would be irrelevant anyway, but without the BCS formula it would be possible in some years for two or even three bowls to figure into the national championship picture.

Bowl life is good for Alabama this year. The Crimson Tide of Coach Nick Saban is ranked first in the nation in every poll, including the Bowl Championship Series rankings, and will play in the BCS National Championship Game against Texas, which is number two in the BCS rankings.

Both Alabama and Texas are 13-0. They will meet in the BCS National Championship Game in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on January 7.

Even though other bowl teams don't have a national championship opportunity, the bowls offer enjoyable trips for the squads and their fans, and the tangible benefit of extra practice time.

Alabama defeated Florida, 32-13, in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game in Atlanta Saturday. Like Alabama last year, Florida gets the Sugar Bowl as a consolation prize. The Gators will play Cincinnati on January 1 in New Orleans.

Other BCS games on January 1 are:

Oregon vs. Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, Boise State vs. TCU in the Fiesta Bowl, and Iowa vs. Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl.

In addition to Alabama and Florida, eight other SEC teams will participate in bowl games. They are:

December 27, Kentucky vs. Clemson in the Music City Bowl in Nashville.

December 28, Georgia vs. Texas A&M in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport.

December 31, Tennessee vs. Virginia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta.

January 1, Auburn vs Northwestern in the Outback Bowl in Tampa.

January 1, LSU vs. Penn State in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando.

January 2, Ole Miss vs. Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

January 2, South Carolina vs. Connecticut in the Papajohns.com Bowl in Birmingham.

January 2, Arkansas vs. East Carolina in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis.