BCS Title Game Preview
LSU and Alabama play for the whole damn thing on Monday, January 9. The BCS National Championship game matches up the two best teams in the country, or that’s the goal anyway. After much discussion, debating, and sometimes complaining, many have wondered whether or not the BCS system did its job on this one. Does Alabama deserve a shot at the title after already losing to LSU…at home? Do they deserve the rematch?
“They didn’t even win their division, Roger. And Oklahoma State won their conference. This is bullshit.”
I hear you, but the BCS system is in place to give the two best teams in the country a chance to win the title, and in my opinion that’s exactly what we got. Bama’s defense is damn near NFL quality, and that’s what separates them from Oklahoma State. The debating should be behind us. Okie State won the Fiesta. It’s time to move on and look forward to the national championship game.
It’s tough to really call this a preview, because how do you preview a matchup that we’ve already seen? I could just say the game might go something like this:
Even without the benefit of knowing the outcome of the first time these two teams locked up, it’s easy to surmise that this was destined to be a low-scoring, knock-down, drag-out, physical slugfest. These two teams are absolute defensive juggernauts. Let’s look at the numbers.
Alabama ranks #1 in the nation in total defense, giving up 191 yards per game. And although LSU is surrendering 61 more yards per game than Bama, they are #2 in the nation in this category. That’s just filthy. Scoring defense? Same story. Alabama and LSU go 1 and 2. Breaking down the quality of each player on each defense would get quite redundant. Just know they’re all legit. Very legit. And although we won’t see much offense in this game, we can discuss that, too.
Damn, these teams are almost mirror images of each other. They both rely heavily on running the ball, where each team ranks in the top 20 in rushing yards per game. Passing isn’t their thing, though. Each QB will be asked to make their simple throws and limit turnovers. There are at least six NFL-bound defensive backs in this game, including a Thorpe winner and Heisman finalist. Nasty.
Sorry Bama fans, but I have to do it…it’s time to discuss special teams. This is where I think LSU has a decided edge. Simply put, LSU can punt the ball, and they make their field goals, and they do it much better than Bama. We all saw what happened in their first matchup, and field goals will most likely play a huge role in this one, as well. Alabama missed four crucial field goals in their first game. I heard the Nicktator scoured the local intramural fields for a new kicker but came up empty. It almost seems unfair that a game featuring many of college football’s most elite, finely-tuned athletes could potentially come down to a 160 lb. pencil-necked soccer fanatic who grew up wearing knee-high socks and Umbros.
Each teams’ strategy on Monday night? Don’t turn the ball over, win the field-position battle, and make your damn field goals.
Dorn’s Prediction
If either team is going to do something crazy like score a touchdown and put this game on ice, I think it’s LSU. I’m going LSU by 6.
Final Score 12-7 Bama
13 years ago at 2:10 pmi like your style^
13 years ago at 12:01 pmThat score would mean that Bama had to kick a field goal at some point, which we all know is highly unlikely
13 years ago at 2:39 pm^He clearly predicted two touchdowns and two missed extra points
13 years ago at 3:54 pmThe SEC trotting out low quality horrendous shit quarterbacks makes their defense look even better, bush league. There’s no arguing with that.
13 years ago at 2:14 pmYou’re right, because neither defense up for discussion played against a team outside the SEC, a good offense, or a running game. Shut up and let the men talk, you fucking mongoloid.
13 years ago at 2:24 pmThat makes absolutely zero sense you fucktard…but now that I think about it, you’re obviously right, Newton, Murray, Mallet, Wilson…oops, I guess you can argue with that. Check the NFL, it’s packed with SEC qbs. But you obviously know more than the press, commentators and…everyone else. Idiot.
13 years ago at 2:26 pm^^Success
13 years ago at 2:27 pmHey Success out of the 4 guys you named only 1 of them even gets playing time. Hell, Mallet doesn’t even suit up for the Patriots.
13 years ago at 3:54 pmThat’s because Brady is a mother fucking beast!
13 years ago at 4:33 pmHow about that Cam Newton guy? You know, the one who took an average AU team to the NCG and massacred every defense they could put up against him. Not to mention the fact that he has broken damn near 20 rookie and other assorted NFL records his first year with an atrocious Panthers team. Definitely a “low quality horrendous shit quarterback” from the SEC.
13 years ago at 4:43 pmCam Newton? Yeah, I think I have heard of him.
13 years ago at 4:50 pmhttp://espn.go.com/college-football/statistics/player/_/stat/passing
13 years ago at 7:01 pm^What do those top 10 quarterbacks have in common? They haven’t seen a real defense all season. Stick to watching the ape show, Frasketball.
13 years ago at 8:56 pmIs their defense really that good or is it the lackluster offensive game planning in the SEC? In 2003, 8th ranked USC vs. 6th ranked Auburn at Auburn…23-0 USC. AU couldn’t move the fucking ball. From 2000-2010 Oregon, UCLA, and USC are 11-0 against the SEC, welcome to offensive game planning. The quarterback is the most important position on the field and when that position is occupied by some vapid interception throwing machine who can’t look off a safety or scan a field, defenses will look better than they are.
13 years ago at 12:30 amOregon is 0-2 in its last two meetings against SEC teams. I do agree with you though, we will never know if its great defenses or good defenses playing shitty offenses.
13 years ago at 12:54 amAbsolutely. I’m not taking anything away from BAMA being a great team, I just would have loved to see Okie State play LSU so we could all see what a real SEC defense could do; that way the argument could be settled.
13 years ago at 1:36 amFlorida has had a great QB the last couple years with Chris Leak and then Tebow, and they managed to win national championships. This year the SEC QBs may not be the best in the league like RGIII or Luck or even Wilson, but defense wins championships like Ray Lewis enjoys saying.
13 years ago at 9:23 amI’m an SEC hater, but if you don’t think these are the two best teams you’re retarded as fuck. Not being biased about either team, I think Alabama wins. Coaching has a lot to do with bowl games and how a team prepares. Sabin is a WAY better coach than Les Miles, a coach that is always saved by his playmaking athletes. The entire nation just doesn’t want another OT snooze fest.
13 years ago at 2:21 pmOSU would have lit up either of these defenses and no way would Bama or LSU’s offense have been able to outscore them.
This is going to be another boring matchup between two good defenses and pedestrian offenses. Maybe if either team could play legitimate offense, the game wouldn’t come down to “a 160 lb. pencil-necked soccer fanatic who grew up wearing knee-high socks and Umbros”.
13 years ago at 2:31 pmBarely, baaaarely beat Stanford. And don’t tell me Stanford has a defense anywhere near either LSU or bama. OSU would have gotten smoked by either, grandpa never saw a defense like those two, and OSU’s defense is nothing special. But then again, obviously Iowa State is much better than LSU or bama huh?
13 years ago at 2:48 pmStanford’s offense is better than either LSU or Alabama’s, too. Obviously their defense isn’t at the same level, but they aren’t THAT far behind. It’s not like either of the SEC schools would be able to put up 38 with their offenses, so OSU wouldn’t have to put up 41 to win it.
LSU scored 9 points against Alabama. Stanford’s defense is not 32 points worse than Alabama’s.
13 years ago at 2:56 pmi believe Trent Richardson plays on alabama’s OFFense…wasn’t he a heisman finalist? just throwing that out there
13 years ago at 3:01 pmLSU put up over 38 ten times this season, bama did it seven times….against better defenses than OSU.
13 years ago at 3:17 pmIf you actually watched Stanford-OSU you would realize that OSU was able to get Stanford into a bunch of 3rd and long situations but Luck was able to convert key third downs. He was 15/15 on Stanford td drives. LSU/’Bama lack a QB as good as Luck so they probably wouldn’t have put up the same number of points as Stanford. OSU’s offense is explosive and can put up points on anyone, I doubt they could break 35 on LSU or ‘Bama but I don’t think LSU or ‘Bama could score 35 on them either. OSU did lead the country in turnovers.
13 years ago at 3:57 pmOSU lost to Iowa State. Fucking sweet. OSU still beat more teams with winning records than Alabama.
13 years ago at 9:26 am^^^^^ You can’t say that neither teams could put up 38, when LSU averages 38.5 points a game fucktard.
13 years ago at 10:40 amDid you even read what I said? Or watch OSU-Stanford? LSU is a power running team, with mediocre QB play. OSU was able to stop Stanford’s running game when it mattered (ie: get them into 3rd and long situations) but Luck was able to make big plays. I don’t know how far your head is up your ass, but Andrew Luck is a lot better than the dynamic duo LSU trots out to run their offense. OSU’s defense is sneaky good, their stats are heavily skewed by the fact that they are on the field for so many plays. They have played 300+ snaps more than ‘Bama this year. And in title games the score tends to be lower since both teams play a little more conservatively and the kids are nervous.
13 years ago at 2:10 pmRoll Tide. I disagree with your prediction, but great article. Frat on
13 years ago at 2:34 pmAppreciate it. The game could go either way.
13 years ago at 2:47 pmROLL TIDE! 21-17 bama
13 years ago at 3:02 pmRoll MF Tide
13 years ago at 4:50 pmI hope LSU rolls over the Tide in a convincing fashion to prove that this rematch should have never happened.
13 years ago at 4:42 pmI hope you get Sandusky’s dick out of your ass and suck it up.
13 years ago at 5:44 pmAgree with Saint Fratty
13 years ago at 12:05 pmIf anybody manages to bring in 6 it is going to be Honey Badger, most likely on an 87 yard punt return (if Satan decides his team should actually punt the ball instead of just missing another ten field goals, that is).
13 years ago at 4:49 pmBama was an underdog last week; now, money is swinging their way and they’re now favorites. Vegas knows something we don’t. Put your money on Bama and their antiChrist of a head coach.
13 years ago at 5:22 pmLeave it to the toothless Cajuns to misspell “Go”. Fuck LSU!
13 years ago at 7:32 pm^Leave the exclamation points at TSM, you tide fucker.
13 years ago at 6:26 pm