TUSCALOOSA — Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony was a classic, but who remembers his sixth?

“Mona Lisa” was a masterpiece, but who talks about da Vinci’s subsequent paintings?

So appreciate the predicament of the 2010 Alabama football team as it is called on for an encore to a blockbuster 2009 season. How can the Crimson Tide improve on perfection? As this very talented but very different team tries to repeat, there’s nowhere to go but . . . sideways.

A national championship is a tough enough act to follow. Success doesn’t get better than 14-0. A second consecutive undefeated season might be unrealistic.

Since 1956, only Nebraska has been a perfect champ for two consecutive seasons (1994-95).

Will the Tide match that feat this season? Not quite.

Let’s look into the crystal ball that Alabama brought home from Pasadena, Calif. The Tide, which opens the season ranked No. 1, will suffer a midseason loss but end the season at No. 1 again.

The irony is that this 13-1 team might be better than that 14-0 team.

The 2009 champs had a good offense, good special teams and a great defense.

The 2010 Tide will start with a good defense, average special teams and a great offense. It will finish with a great defense, a great offense and good special teams. In between, it will stumble once.

via Encore? Crimson Tide will lose once, but expect another national championship | al.com.