So here it is. Number one against number two, going head to head, with everything on the line. Except, it's not the national championship game. And these will not be the top two teams after the lights are turned out in Tuscaloosa Saturday night.
The LSU-Alabama rivalry dates back to 1895. The Crimson Tide leads the series 45-24-5 and they also own the longest win streak in the series at 11 which ranged from 1971-1981. In recent history, the game has been nicknamed the "Saban Bowl" because of current Alabama head coach Nick Saban.
Saban coached at LSU from 2000-2004 after leaving Michigan State before their 1999 bowl game. At LSU, Saban would win 2 SEC Championships, the first coming in 2001 and the second came in 2003. Saban and the Tigers would go on to add a National Championship in 2003 with a 21-14 victory over #1 Oklahoma. At the end of the 2004 season, Saban would depart Louisiana for the NFL's Miami Dolphins. In his time at LSU, the Tigers were 4-1 against Alabama.
Then in 2007, Nick Saban returned to college football, this time donned in crimson. So far, with Saban at the helm, the Crimson Tide have a 43-11 record with Conference and National Championships in 2009. In his time at Alabama so far, the Tide are 2-2.
This season, however, there's more pressure on both teams than ever before. Both come into tonight's game with National Championship expectations, and rightly so. Alabama and LSU are the two top rated defenses, and the two top teams in the nation. There's almost no doubt that the winner of this game is going to be the favorite to beat (fill in whoever you THINK is going to be number two in January) at the end of the year.
So here's my prediction: Alabama's offense squeaks ahead of LSU midway through the third quarter, and the Crimson Tide wins 27-17. I think LSU's QB, Jarrett Lee, struggles against the stout Alabama D and the Tigers never get comfortable running the ball. Alabama's offense is also going to be more than the Tigers are used to seeing both on the ground and through the air.
This is a #1-#2 matchup that promises offensive football. Well most fans then are not going to turn it off in favor of the #14 K-State at #3 OK State game. Because as the old saying goes, "offense sells seats, defense wins championships." And the winner of this game, gets their shot at a championship.
Showing posts with label alabama crimson tide. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alabama crimson tide. Show all posts
Friday, November 4, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
BCS Thoughts
Another week, another set of gut-wrenching, heard-pounding, show stopping, college football games. What game messed up the standings the most though? Was it the BCS stunners Michigan State and their play, "Rocket" with :04 to go in the tie ball game to knock off Wisconsin? What about Syracuse shellacking West Virginia to the tune of 49-23? Or perhaps the Texas Tech Red Raiders silencing the crowd in Norman, Oklahoma, by knocking off the unbeaten Sooners 41-38?
Well yes, to all. Depends who you root for (or against). All these results were exciting for somebody, and shook up the BCS Standings. That leads us to two questions.
Who's in? And who's out?
With LSU and Alabama staying in the top two spots, there's no need to evaluate them. The thing that shocked me in the top 5, was Stanford NOT moving to the number 3 spot. Oklahoma State took that slot and Boise State moved up a spot, putting Stanford in sixth.
Stanford destroyed number 25 Washington (5-2) by a score of 65-21, while OK State took down unranked Missouri (3-4). And Boise? They were in a down-to-the-wire battle with 3-4 Air Force. With Stanford doing what they did to a ranked opponent with a winning record, I don't see how the Cardinal isn't third.
Moving to the Big Ten section of the standings, Michigan State (6-1) moved up to 11 and Wisconsin (6-1) dropped to the 15 spot. Nebraska (also 6-1), whose loss came to Wisconsin is actually in at 14. But they lost to them... So shouldn't Wisconsin be AHEAD of Nebraska? Ugh... Computers. I'm pretty sure that Skynet became self-aware in the BCS Headquarters.
Then there's the Big East, the local conference. I'll save my predictions for what's to become of the fledgling conference for a future article, but their only representative in the BCS Top 25 is none other than number 25 themselves, West Virginia. The Mountaineers were ranked 15th in the nation heading into their Friday night showdown with the Syracuse Orange, and they were embarrassed to say the least. The Orange have had some controversy this season, so why not stir up a little more.
Why aren't they ranked? Two losses, yes that's a good reason but Texas A&M has two losses and is ranked 16th! Auburn has three (granted all three of them are to top 10 opponents, but still, it's three)!
Okay okay, don't put Syracuse in the rankings. How about the conference leading, 6-1, University of Cincinnati Bearcats! They have no losses in the conference yet, with their only loss coming at Tennessee. I won't lie and say that UC has beaten anybody big, but their win down in South Florida, made me a believer. They're at Pittsburgh, then get West Virginia in Paul brown Stadium. Bearcat fans, be rooting for WVU the next two weekends. The higher (although unjustified) they are, the better for UC.
It's wild. It's unpredictable. We all have opinions. It's college football. I love it.
Got an opinion? Share it with me and other sports fans on twitter @TheShow_Dave.
Well yes, to all. Depends who you root for (or against). All these results were exciting for somebody, and shook up the BCS Standings. That leads us to two questions.
Who's in? And who's out?
With LSU and Alabama staying in the top two spots, there's no need to evaluate them. The thing that shocked me in the top 5, was Stanford NOT moving to the number 3 spot. Oklahoma State took that slot and Boise State moved up a spot, putting Stanford in sixth.
Stanford destroyed number 25 Washington (5-2) by a score of 65-21, while OK State took down unranked Missouri (3-4). And Boise? They were in a down-to-the-wire battle with 3-4 Air Force. With Stanford doing what they did to a ranked opponent with a winning record, I don't see how the Cardinal isn't third.
Moving to the Big Ten section of the standings, Michigan State (6-1) moved up to 11 and Wisconsin (6-1) dropped to the 15 spot. Nebraska (also 6-1), whose loss came to Wisconsin is actually in at 14. But they lost to them... So shouldn't Wisconsin be AHEAD of Nebraska? Ugh... Computers. I'm pretty sure that Skynet became self-aware in the BCS Headquarters.
Then there's the Big East, the local conference. I'll save my predictions for what's to become of the fledgling conference for a future article, but their only representative in the BCS Top 25 is none other than number 25 themselves, West Virginia. The Mountaineers were ranked 15th in the nation heading into their Friday night showdown with the Syracuse Orange, and they were embarrassed to say the least. The Orange have had some controversy this season, so why not stir up a little more.
Why aren't they ranked? Two losses, yes that's a good reason but Texas A&M has two losses and is ranked 16th! Auburn has three (granted all three of them are to top 10 opponents, but still, it's three)!
Okay okay, don't put Syracuse in the rankings. How about the conference leading, 6-1, University of Cincinnati Bearcats! They have no losses in the conference yet, with their only loss coming at Tennessee. I won't lie and say that UC has beaten anybody big, but their win down in South Florida, made me a believer. They're at Pittsburgh, then get West Virginia in Paul brown Stadium. Bearcat fans, be rooting for WVU the next two weekends. The higher (although unjustified) they are, the better for UC.
It's wild. It's unpredictable. We all have opinions. It's college football. I love it.
Got an opinion? Share it with me and other sports fans on twitter @TheShow_Dave.
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