You've heard it, I've heard it, we've all heard it time and again "DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS."  Which is why despite a 17-14 victory over SEC foe Kentucky, Alabama fans will proudly tell you who the AP ranks number two.

Not to get ahead of ourselves but looking back at the past NCAA Champions the validity of the statement cannot be argued.  LSU's defense of last season was malleable in many situations (Kentucky, Arkansas, even allowed 34 to 'Bama) but impressed when it mattered most.  After Beanie Wells run of 65 yards to give the Buckeyes and early edge the defense held down the Ohio State run game after that to the tune of 75 yards on 28 carries (Wells also had one carry for five yards before busting the long TD run.)

Florida's vaunted defense held their opponent to just 82 total yards of offense and rendered Heisman trophy winner Troy Smith useless.  Even in arguably the greatest National Championship game ever played (at least easily the greatest in recent BCS memory) the Texas-USC game that featured 1,130 of total yards combined from the two teams was decided by a colossal fourth down stand by the Longhorns when they denied the USC offense yard number 575.

The Alabama faithful can remain calm despite the Jekyll-Hyde type passing game thanks to a defense that limited their opponent to 1.8 yards per rush, forced two turnovers, and scored on a fumble return.  The unit leads the nation in yards per game on the ground at 22.5 thanks to Junior-College transfer and avid food enthusiast Terrence Cody.  The stingy defense gives up 13.5 points per game, and would be considerably less had Georgia not put up 14 points late in the fourth quarter.

The defense has two interception returns for touchdowns, one fumble return for a touchdown, and a middle linebacker that mothers shield the eyes of their children from in Rolando McClain.

The defense coupled with the emergence of a running game bares resemblance to the game plans of yesteryears'.  This brand of smash mouth football has been lost to the intricacies of the spread and the dream to amass 400 yard passing games at the peril of the running game.  However, with Oklahoma, Texas, and LSU playing solid defense they join Alabama in the top 5 in the AP and Coaches polls. 

Alabama fans can sleep well knowing their defense led them to their last New Year's Day bowl win (actually Jan 2.)  Outsiders can sleep on Alabama and say 17-14 against Kentucky does not warrant a No. 2 ranking.  In the end we've all heard it and will hear it again, "DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS!"