Alabama and Texas have only played each other three times in bowl games in the last 45 years. Texas won the 1965 Orange Bowl, the 1973 Cotton Bowl and the 1982 Cotton Bowl by no more then 4 points. If Sportsbook industry handicappers are right, this years BCS Championship Bowl will be a close one too. Instant Action Sports opened the line for the National Championship with Alabama -5 and -200 Money Line. But giving 5 points to the Longhorns for starters seemed a little too much of an advantage and many early birds went for it; therefore, the line is now Alabama -3½ on the spread, laying -175 in the ML.

Let’s take a brief look at the facts. Both teams have come to the Championship game with a 13-0 mark. Even the pros –Ask this year’s Colts if not- can tell you how hard it is to make it to the postseason with a perfect record. Without taking merits away from TCU and Boise State (the two other undefeated teams of the season) it is particularly difficult to win every game of the Big 12 or the SEC.

While Texas has made the headlines of the NCAA news in the past four years, winning their last three bowl appearances (2005 and 2006 Rose Bowls and 2009 Fiesta Bowls) for Alabama’s Crimson Tide things have only gone uphill. This is Bama’s first shoot at the National Championship since 1992. All senior year players are quite aware of how tough things were before head Coach Nick Saban came to clean up after Mike Shula’s mess. It has been a long process, but things have change for good since Saban came in. Between 2006 and 2007 (under Shula’s lead) the Crimson Tide lost 13 games, and had a losing season in ‘06. So yeah, it has been a long journey for Saban and his men, but they sure enough deserve this chance at the BCS. This is perhaps the best opportunity to redeem themselves from last season unexpected defeat in the 2009 Sugar Bowl against the Utah Utes, 31-17.

Colt McCoy, the Longhorns’ quarterback, is going to have to bring on his A-game to face Alabama’s talented defense. McCoy (who was last year’s runner up) did not win this year’s Heisman. He was not even close. And this can be blamed upon the somewhat irregular season (albeit the 13-0 record) he has had. For instance, lets consider the Longhorn’s last regular season game against Nebraska: McCoy was sacked 9 times and intercepted in 3 different occasions.

Alabama is not going to forgive these sorts of mistakes so easily. And truth be said, Texas is going to have to face quarterback Greg McElroy who has thrown for 2,450 yards and 17 touchdowns in the regular season, and the rest of one very fine offensive squad. And we should not forget that Alabama’s offense includes this year's Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram in the receiving end.

The bottom line is this: Regardless of where you decide to place your action, this is going to be one heck of a game.