In anticipation of the blockbuster clash with Alabama this weekend, I was fortunate enough to catch up with ManDance and TJ of Tower of Bammer fame for a sense of the mood around Bama nation this week. If you haven’t had the chance to visit Tower of Bammer yet, you are really missing out on some of the best comedic material doused with a heavy dose of sarcasm this side of BHGP that would even cause Bear Bryant to roll around in his grave either in amusement or disgust. I just haven’t decided which yet.

One of the biggest question marks for Penn State fans heading into this Saturday’s game will be the impact of the absence of star DE Marcell Dareus. With last year’s national championship defensive MVP sidelined against the Nittany Lions, and a 7 new players on the defensive side of the ball last week, who else should Penn State fans be concerned with.

ManDance: Linebacker Dont’a Hightower for sure, before his injury last season a lot of people thought he was better than the 6 or so guys that got drafted, and Saban likes to move him around, send him on blitzes, coat him in poison, drop him from blimps. And safety Mark Barron is an incredible athlete that can react to the ball insanely quick. Both these guys should be playing on Sundays next year.

A true freshman quarterback playing his second game in a hostile environment under the lights, an unsettled offensive line, a featured running back that struggled against Youngstown State and a brand new linebacking corp is what awaits the Crimson Tide. What is the mood around Bama nation and are fans even remotely concerned/nervous about Penn State this weekend?

ManDance:  I’d say the fans I know are pretty confident but wary. I mean, even the squirrels around here know who Penn State is, so you’d have to be pretty cross-eyed to not even have remote concern. And I can’t remember Alabama ever winning when ESPN Gameday is in Tuscaloosa. Of course there are always yahoos running around with elephant hats that think the Tide will never lose again, but 2 years of undefeated regular seasons and a shiny crystal football will lead to that.

Greg McElroy, Julio Jones, Cody Mandell, Dont’a Hightower, and a depth chart chalk full of talented replacements. Even with the possible loss of Mark Ingram, are there any weaknesses to exploit on this Alabama team?

TJ: We definitely have a few weaknesses that could be exploited. Maybe not weaknesses, but unproven players. Everyone likes to talk about losing our kicking, punting and return specialists, but no one hardly mentions that we lost our long snapper extraordinaire, Brian Selman (AKA “Choppers”), as well. We all saw how a few bad snaps can have near disastrous outcomes in last weeks Florida game. Miami(Ohio) was a few plays away from burning down Gainesville and then taking their talents to South Beach. I can only imagine a special team nightmare: high snaps, shanked field goals, muffed punts. Joe Pa celebrating so hard that he loses his trademark spectacles. Later that night he breaks free from his handlers and takes a victory lap around the stadium. Paterno winds up talking to what he believes to be the ghost of the Bear Bryant, but it is just a statue and Joe feels tired and confused.

What will Penn State need to do to actually have a shot at the upset?

ManDance: TJ’s right, special teams could play a huge role, Penn State has to take advantage of that. And Saban basically plans his defense around forcing you to the outside, stopping the run, and getting to a 3rd and long. So if your guys can either run up the middle or be successful passing on early downs, that’ll really screw with the last few years’ blueprint. And, of course, the Gameday Curse will be in effect.

Breaking from the game this Saturday, what is your opinion on the issue of oversigning and do you believe it is in Alabama’s best interest for Nick Saban to practice it in the name of competitive advantage?

ManDance: Oversigning? Dang, killin’ my game weekend vibes with oversigning? I mean, sure, it’s one of the many ways college football players get shafted. Sure, it’s another way the ‘haves’ win and the ‘have nots’ lose out. Isn’t the real problem cutting players though? What would that rule look like ‘must serve NCAA with grades/police reports/eyewitness statements before dismissing a player from a team’. I dunno man, I just want to drink some beer and eat some barbeque.

Quick Hits:

Will you be attending the game?

I’ll be outside with a hundred bucks in my wallet, if the ticket fairy drops one in my lap I’ll go, if not I’ll be down the street at the bar.

Will Alabama cover the 12 point spread?

Yep

Predict the final score.

31 – 17

I would like to thank ManDance and TJ over at Tower of Bammer for taking the time to share their thoughts with us. You can also follow their stuff on Twitter @towerofbammer. What better way to gauge the mood of the opposing team’s fans than from the fans who take the time and effort to write about their favorite team. Go State!