The poor Texas Longhorns. Everyone seems to forget about them. Maybe it is their unimaginative offense or the fact that the Texas A&M Aggies put up an obscene number of points against them on Thanksgiving. Whatever, the case, people around the country are talking about the SEC Championship between Alabama and Florida has the de facto national championship.

While the Longhorns will likely get the chance to make their own case come January, it is hard to argue with the greatness of what may the biggest non-bowl game in a generation. For the first time, the SEC title game will be played between the top two teams in the country. After going undefeated in the brutal SEC (no matter how many people say it was a down year for the conference), the two best defenses, two of the biggest names in coaching and two Heisman trophy candidate square off in Atlanta on Saturday in what should be a classic.

For Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide, the goal will be to try and come up with a way to stop the new Football Jesus, Tim Tebow. Though Tebow had a sluggish start to the season and has struggled to come back following a concussion suffered against Kentucky, he seems to have found his stride, and with an amazing performance, could become only the second two-time Heisman winner. The Florida team relies on him in every sense imaginable. 

As Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin put it recently, "If it wasn't for Tebow, it's easy. Alabama wins the game."

I am sure the rest of the Gators will pay attention to that quote. And probably remember it next time they see the tow-headed Kiffin on the other sideline.

Of course, most people realize that what Kiffin says is the truth. Compounding and complicating that truth, however, is this quote from South Carolina defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson:

"They don't have the quick-strike capability they had with [Percy] Harvin and [Louis] Murphy," South he said. "The teams that played them early didn't realize it. They've got real good receivers, but not like Harvin and Murphy. They are a little more blue-collar."

So, don’t let Tebow beat you. But give him the ball?

The defensive strategy then that seems to work best against the Gators is the bend-but-don’t-break approach. Tebow will wear down an offense, but he will not hit them hard and fast. So, the thinking goes, let Tebow get what he can on the run, protect the deep ball and quick hits over the middle. And, when the time comes, step up and stuff Tebow and contain him. Sounds easier said than done. But if any team in college football can pull off the feat, it is the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Florida may be suckered in to running Tebow as much as Alabama lets them, because trying to protect a throwing Tebow against ‘Bama may be a fool’s errand. The Tide has gotten to the quarterback more than any team in the country, and the Gators have been miserable at protecting their captain of late, forcing him into a ton of sacks.

In a perfect world for Alabama, the Gators would take the same approach to stopping them: bend but don’t’ break. Of course, that would be a horrible idea. That is exactly what Alabama wants to do. They want to work the clock, pound the ball with Mark Ingram and destroy your will. 

While Alabama tries to keep Florida from hitting a handful of big plays that could decide the game, Florida will hope to entice Alabama into trying to make big plays by stopping the run. If Florida can get pressure on Greg McElroy and force him into a couple of interceptions in the biggest game of his life, that should be enough to tip the scales in Florida’s favor.

This should be an instant classic, as two of the best coaches in the country play a chess game, by scheming their elite defenses and try and forced the other team’s offense do to what they want.

This game will likely come down to one memorable drive. The question is, will it be a classic Tebow drive that will put him among the legends of the game, or will it be a drive that ends with the Alabama defense victorious and knocking the man who some think walks on water off his pedestal.

I think Alabama bends, but ultimately doesn’t break.