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"It's too early," said Bill Oliver, the defensive coordinator of the Crimson Tide's 1992 national championship team.
What he means is this:
"Right now, they could be as good or better," said John Copeland, a star defensive end on the '92 defense. "But let's see how this season ends. If they don't win a national championship, there's no comparison. Let's see how this plays out."
The conversation could get more interesting tonight if a stiff defense leads the second-ranked Crimson Tide past top-ranked LSU.
The numbers and national rankings in key statistical categories make for a good comparison.
In 1992, Alabama led the nation in scoring defense (9.08 ppg), total defense (194.2 yards per game), rushing defense (55.0) and passing defense (139.2).
This season, Alabama leads the nation in three of those categories and is second in the other, but its numbers are better that its 1992 counterpart. The Tide leads the nation in scoring defense (6.88 ppg), total defense (180.5 yards per game) and rushing defense (44.88). It ranks second in passing defense (135.63).