Jon Johnson column: Tide on other side of the fence this time

NEW ORLEANS — Of all teams, you’d have figured Alabama would have understood the respect factor.

After all, it was Alabama carrying a chip on its shoulder much of the year when it never seemed to get the respect deserved.

Looks like Alabama was guilty of treating Utah the same sort of way in what turned out to be a shocking 31-17 Utah win in Friday night’s Sugar Bowl.

Did anybody see this one coming?

Remember watching the Tide shell-shock opponent after opponent on their climb to a No. 1 ranking in the land?

Alabama was on the other end of it this time, and it won’t be easy to forget.

Nick Saban and his troops pride themselves on being prepared for anything and everything.

What a time to fall asleep at the wheel.

Alabama players and coaches said all the right things leading up to the game — repeatedly stating how important it was to finish what’s been a remarkable season with one more victory.

But while Alabama was doing the talking, evidently Utah was doing the preparing.

Talk about being blindsided.

Utah built a 21-0 lead quicker than a rabbit scampering through a briar patch.

Did anyone really think missing Andre Smith would have been so crucial in this one?

The loss of the suspended junior offensive tackle became even more critical when Mike Johnson, who started in his place, went down with an ankle injury in the first quarter and never returned.

Utah’s defenders found themselves crashing through the Tide front and keeping QB John Parker Wilson on the run.

Maybe we should have all reflected on the Tulane game when Smith and Marlon Davis sat out with injuries. In that game as well, the Tide offensive front was beaten too much in the trenches.

Utah took advantage in the same sort of way.

Thanks mostly to Javier Arenas’ dazzling 73-yard punt return in the second quarter, and a Bobby Greenwood fumble recovery on the first drive of the second half, Alabama was poised to turn things around.

But Utah remained steady and answered every challenge, while Alabama was a step short, a throw long, a missed tackle or field goal opportunity away from getting the job done.

Everyone knows the Tide was the big favorite in this one — a rare occurrence for this Tide team in spotlight games this year.

Obviously, Utah took the underdog role as the ultimate challenge much like the Tide has on other occasions.

Supposedly T-shirts were circulating in New Orleans this week touting Utah as a member of the Western Athletic Conference instead of the Mountain West Conference to which it belongs.

No matter the conference, Utah proved its undefeated record is no fluke.

The big, bad SEC got an up-close look at what is actually a very good Utah team on both sides of the football.

Alabama got a good dose of what a lack of respect may bring with it.

Being on the other side of the fence can sure be humbling.