Anybody but Alabama! (Florida, Clemson, record, teams)
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Thank you for explaining how field goals work. That was better than my Daddy's explanation in Pop Warner football ages ago. I'm pretty much an old crusty Okie now.
Interesting take since the Mad Hatter (the man looks like a darn fool wearing his hat like that, BTW) has been rumored to be fired several times in his tenure there.
I'm not a fan of Bammer, just stating the obvious as one who watched that game. I though Bama's defense was superior to LSU's. The only phase I would give LSU a slight edge in is special teams. Bottom Line: A few very makeable field goals easily results in a different outcome.
If the BCS Championship wasn't in LSU's backyard then I'd give Bammer about a 7-10 point advantage. Should be right at about 50-50 in New Orleans.
It ought to be an interesting game. I don't think either team played their very best football in that first game. Alabama made some critical lapses, including that interception late in the game. LSU got off to a slow start, which prompted Miles to insert Jordan Jefferson as their permanent starter.
I think Alabama is stronger and more physical than LSU. Their offensive lines are about even, I think. I agree that the advantage for Alabama is at the defensive line. They're the best in the country, bar none. They also have good linebackers and a tough secondary. Alabama wins games by wearing their opponents out. You could tell that LSU was tired toward the end of that game, but unlike other opponents Bama has played, LSU didn't fold. They just couldn't score. It's possible that Jordan Jefferson might at least give them a touchdown in this game, but nothing's a given.
The advantage for LSU is team speed and, as you pointed out, special teams. LSU may give up yardage in the middle of the field, but they don't give up big plays, and they defend the red zone really well. On the flip side, they routinely make big plays, such as a key interception or a strip of the ball. Whereas Alabama wins by wearing teams out, LSU wears teams down (maybe not like Bama does) and then rips their hearts out with big plays that change the complexion of games.
It's hard to predict the outcome. LSU probably has more ways to beat Alabama than Alabama does LSU, but Alabama's ways of winning are very effective when they're on their game. If Alabama doesn't turn the ball over, I think they win. If Alabama loses the ball a few times and LSU doesn't give it up themselves, I think LSU wins, with the difference coming down to a field goal or possibly a punt return for a touchdown or a mad hatter play.
LSU and Alabama should play in the BCS championship. The 2 best should always play. It's bad enough we have AQ schools in BCS bowls when top 10 teams aren't.
The top 10 teams should be in the BCS bowls, even if they are all in the SEC and PAC 12.
LSU vs. Oklahoma State (if the Cowboys beat Oklahoma on Saturday) would be tasty. And Gundy did say he'd consider his team for No. 2 if it beat OU. Just to introduce you to OSU. An offense that scores approximately every 11.3 seconds. A strength of schedule ranked 10th, compared with Alabama's at 38th. A team whose only loss was in double overtime to Iowa State the same week an OSU school plane crashed, killing two women's basketball coaches. A school that beat five teams with winning records to Alabama's three. A team with four wins over BCS top 25 teams to Alabama's two. Hello?
LSU vs. Oklahoma State (if the Cowboys beat Oklahoma on Saturday) would be tasty. And Gundy did say he'd consider his team for No. 2 if it beat OU. Just to introduce you to OSU. An offense that scores approximately every 11.3 seconds. A strength of schedule ranked 10th, compared with Alabama's at 38th. A team whose only loss was in double overtime to Iowa State the same week an OSU school plane crashed, killing two women's basketball coaches. A school that beat five teams with winning records to Alabama's three. A team with four wins over BCS top 25 teams to Alabama's two. Hello?
I dispute the assumption that the Big 12 is better than the SEC, and I personally think Alabama would beat OSU, but I also think it shouldn't matter what I think. Alabama had their shot at LSU -- at home -- and lost! That's all that matters. In college football, you get a shot, and make the most of it. Alabama had theirs, but a rematch would deny OSU its own shot at LSU, which seems unfair.
OSU has the same W-L record. They had one bad game, but so what? OSU is a conference champion, which is something that Alabama cannot claim. I say, give another team - one more team - a chance to do what the previous 13 could not.
Let's say Alabama beats LSU the next time they play. So what? Why couldn't Oregon do it? Why couldn't any of the other teams that played LSU do it? Oregon's a conference champion, no less, so if anyone deserves a rematch against LSU, it's them.
But the point is, a rematch shouldn't be in the works for a title game. OSU has had an outstanding season, with the exception of one major setback.
Had Iowa State gone on to also beat Oklahoma, it would have really helped OSU's case. But they ended up playing poorly, and it was obvious Iowa State just wasn't that good a team.
You had a lot of teams this year who got a great opportunity after Bama lost to LSU, but no one was able to take advantage of it, so we're probably going to be stuck with a rematch.
Even if they get left out of the BCS title game, it's still a major step for OSU....a conference title and a BCS bowl game.
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That was better than my Daddy's explanation in Pop Warner football ages ago.
I'm pretty much an old crusty Okie now.
