SEC Game of the Week: LSU Tigers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide

Ladies and Gentlemen in the Main Event the blog I’ve been waiting to write all year, on my left the home team in the crimson white coming in at 2 in the nation boasting Heisman Trophy candidate Trent Williams and a stout rushing attack coached by Nick ‘ Satan aka Benedict Arnold aka backstabber Saban the ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE. And on my right coming in at 1 from Death Valley led by Jarrett ‘Call him what you want but don’t call him a comeback story” Lee and coached by Les “The Mad Hatter” Miles the LSU FIGHTING TIGERS. Brace yourself college football fans this is the game of the year 1 vs. 2 and its LSU vs. Alabama tickets to this matchup are at $10,500. This game has gotten so big CBS has moved from its original 2:30 pm to PRIMETIME 7 PM These two teams have faced each other over the years from 1993 when top ranked, undefeated, and riding a 31 game winning streak Alabama faced a hapless LSU team. A Mobile (Ala) newspaper writer predicted the LSU would win “WHEN PIGS FLY”, well even though pigs weren’t seen flying over Alabama LSU pulled the stunner with a 17-13 victory. To the 1996 game where I was in attendance watched as Bama blanked LSU 26-0 in the debut of Shaun Alexander “The Great”. To a string of wins Bama had at Tiger Stadium from 1971 to 1999 which LSU was 0-14-1. The rivalry increased since Saban came back to coach college football with the Tide after he couldn’t cut it the pros in 2007. So without further ado let’s get this preview started.

Offense vs. Offense: If LSU offense was a gun it would be an AK- 47 this offense can hit you from so many different places. Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson have been working together to make one of college football’s best dual quarterback tandems in the country while both can pass Jefferson can be used in short yardage and 4th and situatations (which there may be a lot of them) and LSU has not one, not two, not three, but four capable running backs (Spencer Ware, Alfred Blue, Michael Ford, and Kenny Hilliard) and with an improving wr’s in Odell Beckham, Reuben Randall and Russell Shepard, plus it’s also its best defense even though its offense doesn’t score a lot of points it can produce long scoring drives that can make a simple 14-0 game to a 28-0, which can wear out a defense and make an offense on the sideline get cold.. While Bama will counter with QB AJ McCarron’s, RB Trent Richardson, and Marquis Maze this is going to be a test of defensives, but sure McCarron’s has the home field advantage but he has not played in a game of this magnitude, and can he respond to a long LSU scoring drive or keep calm from a pressure playing LSU D- Edge: LSU

Defense vs. Defense: For Alabama they have Courtney Upshaw at linebacker has 4.5 sacks &11.5 tackles for a loss, which ranks 8th in the nation and one of the best cornerback duo’s in the nation with Robert Lester and Dre Kirkpatrick and LSU will counter with its 3rd ranked scoring and total defense they bring back cornerback Tyrann “Da Honey badger” Mathieu and Tharold Simon which will help out Morris Claiborne and defensive ends Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo look to pressure McCarron and clamp down on Richardson. Also LSUs defense has been shutting down young or inexperienced Qbs out of the SEC. Edge: EVEN

Intangibles: The past 6 matchups have been decided by 42 pts or an average of 7 points a game. Well Bama has the home field advantage for Saturday night’s showdown, but surprising all of LSUs key games have been on the road (Dallas, Starkville, Morgantown, and Knoxville) with some being against ranked opponents. LSU has played a much tougher schedule (5 ranked or ranked teams at the time LSU played them) than Bama to date, goes deep, and has played mistake free football (on the field off the field not so much). With the added edge of the Saban bowl and with strong BCS championship implications this look like a game which my need a big play to open the game up or seal it, which if it does it falls into Mathieu making a key strip, pick, or key punt or kick return and a key Les Miles coaching strategy ( hmm I wonder how Bryant-Denney Stadium grass taste). Edge LSU

Winner and why: LSU has gotten better every game offensively and defensively, but the main thing LSU hasn’t made dumb mistakes, hasn’t “given up the big play”, stayed healthy, and remained focused. No team has come close to matching LSUs intensity, but Alabama may be the closest team to come close to it .LSU has to keep playing its game both sides has to be perfect, play hard and keep the pressure on and the Bama fans out of the game. If there is ever a game more important to the LSU football program it’s THIS ONE!!! LSU has to win to eliminate the past that Saban and Bama has haunted them with. To Bama fans this just another game on their way to a 14 national championship all year commentators have been saying LSU is good but,.., this or that, LSU in my eyes has to be the most DISRESPECTED 1 team in the nation, but come Saturday Night the nation will understand how good and talented this LSU squad is and Bama’s national title journey will end, so will Trent Richardson Heisman Trophy hopes.

LSU 38 Bama 27 ( ROLL TIDE ROLL -DOWN THE HOLE DOWN THE BOWL JUST LIKE YOUR TITLE HOPES MR. SABAN AND HEISMAN HOPES MR. RICHARDSON)