Allstate Sugar Bowl Tickets

The Alabama Crimson Tide will face off against the Utah Utes in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on January 2 at 8 p.m. in New Orleans.

For Alabama, this isn't the BCS game they planned on attending. Alabama went undefeated through the SEC regular season only to see their national championship hopes dissolve in a loss to the Florida Gators in the conference title game.

For Utah, they are thrilled to be crashing the BCS party for the second time this decade. They previously made it when Urban Meyer was the head coach, which is ironic since he is now the coach of the Gators.

At the same time, the undefeated Utes believe they were owed a shot at the national championship game by virtue of being one of the only remaining undefeated teams in the country.

Alabama should have a major homefield advantage with the game being played so close to the school and nowhere near the home of the Utes.

The key for Alabama will be to find a way to put aside the disappointment of missing out on a possible national championship and getting themselves up to play a team from a mid-major conference.

Nick Saban is an outstanding coach and an excellent motivator, so I would expect his team to be well prepared for the game.

Prediction: Alabama 27, Utah 10