THE WEST ZONE message board | SHOP NOW: DEALS on CLEMSON apparel

The worst take from this past offseason, as we all know, is that Alabama was too exhausted from its murderous SEC schedule to give anything close to its best in Santa Clara against Clemson.

Another take, much more rational than hot, seems to become colder with every week of the season.

"Welp," so many of us said as we surveyed one of the most jolting beatdowns in college football history, "Dabo's not going to be able to play the disrespect card anymore."