While watching Alabama's defense dominate Missouri in the early going Saturday, I couldn't help but think about how the Arkansas Razorbacks lost to the Crimson Tide and the Tigers by a combined eight points.
Maybe it was that type of obvious progress from last season that had many believing Bret Bielema was the top-shelf head coach Nebraska wanted to settle the troubled waters around the Cornhuskers program.
Bielema's agent wouldn't deny that Nebraska wanted his client. Good agents never deny anything that might get their client a raise, and Gil Brandt -- who gained his fame with the Dallas Cowboys before Jerry Jones bought the team -- claimed a job offer had been extended.
If that is true, Bielema may prove to be a bigger exception in the coaching world than many thought.
In today's high-dollar business world once known as college football, coaches -- even the highly paid big names like Nick Saban and Les Miles -- never miss a chance to squeeze some long green out of their administration.
Apparently, that was never Bielema's intention.
Almost as soon as he stepped off a flight and heard the rumor, he tweeted to the whole world he was whole hog. He also returned a call to a reporter, saying he was not interested in any job but the one he has.
Instead of trying to squeeze out a raise for himself after only his second year with the program -- and maybe he isn't all that proud of his 9-15 record with the Hogs -- he has been lobbying Athletic Director Jeff Long for raises and longer contracts for his assistants.
Almost by the time that thought had filtered, Alabama quarterback Blake Sims had completed his 10th pass in 11 attempts. That one was for 58 yards to Deandrew White and a touchdown that gave Alabama a 14-0 lead.
The Tide looked like the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoffs. Missouri got within 21-13 late in the third quarter, but Alabama stuffed the Tigers' running game and unleashed its rushing attack to score three times in the fourth quarter of a 42-13 victory.
Oregon has set itself on the big stage already with its 51-13 payback victory over Arizona to capture the Pac-12 championship, and in doing so it looked like the team to beat when the playoff finally begins.
TCU made its argument with plenty of style points Saturday in its 55-3 victory over Iowa State.
The prime-time day game was the Tide vs. the Tigers, and when Mizzou got on the board with a field goal it still looked like Alabama would take its rightful place in the playoffs as the No. 1 team in the nation.
Alabama's only stumble this year was to a very good Ole Miss team, which had to recover a late fumble on a kick return to get the victory. Otherwise, the Crimson Tide never would have been questioned as the top pick.
Alabama's offense was many times better Saturday than what it showed against Arkansas, Sims put on a clinic by completing 15 of his first 17 passes, with 10 of those going to Amari Cooper, arguably the best receiver in college football this year who had only two catches against the Razorbacks.
Do not be surprised if Cooper is on the short list to be invited to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony, but he won't win it. That's probably going to Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, who ran for three touchdowns and passed for two more Friday night.
Cooper set an SEC Championship Game record with 12 catches, and Sims completed 23 of 27 passes for 262 yards and 2 touchdowns.
One thing has become obvious this season. Like him or hate him, Lane Kiffin is a really good offensive coordinator. Saban knew what he was doing when he hired him, and probably saved his career.
Now we are just hours away from the announcement of the four teams that will make the college football playoff and who will be going to all the other bowls, and it appears the Arkansas Razorbacks are headed to Shreveport.
Sports on 12/07/2014