Published November 3, 2011 - 1:03pm
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We’re almost 48 hours away from the most anticipated regular season game in the history of the Southeastern Conference with almost all media outlets calling Saturday’s LSU-Alabama tilt college football’s Super Bowl.
Is it possible the war between the SEC West titans won’t be as good as advertised?
Nick Saban and Les Miles, college football’s premier head coaches, are chomping at the bit to appear from the tunnel with their headsets on in Tuscaloosa. That will indicate the talking is over and the prize is there for the taking. Each gridiron mastermind can out-prepare you, out-smart you and out-man most starting lineups.
That’s what will lead to this game’s downfall or viewers expecting a toe-to-toe, 41-38 firework explosion.
Giving the SEC’s best an extra week to prepare for this BCS showdown doesn’t bode well for each squad’s offense. The Tigers and Crimson Tide have won this season with a dominating physical presence up front, taking a stranglehold of the line of scrimmage from start to finish.
Expect to see quarterbacks Jarrett Lee, Jordan Jefferson and A.J. McCarron on the ground more often than not this weekend.
Can LSU’s two-quarterback philosophy thrive against Alabama’s top-ranked defense? Will Heisman front-runner Trent Richardson impose his will on the country’s best defensive line? Fans expecting a shootout ala USC v. Texas (2005) can turn the dial because this game should highlight the talent on the other side of the football and each team’s punter.
The kicking game, like other 9-6 snoozefests, could decide it.
What will it take for this game to live up to its unprecedented billing? A 31-28 nail-biter that includes a Tyrann Mathieu scoop-and-score and three Richardson touchdowns? Maybe a 13-10 fight where first downs come at a premium? No matter the final, they’ll be some of us underwhelmed by the matchup everyone’s been talking about for months.
This game has received a record number of credential requests from writers and anchors wanting an up-close view of what college football’s strongest conference has to offer. Hard hits and displays of freakish athleticism will be commonplace, but penalties and field position – two things usually ignored by viewers – is what’s important.
What will it take for you to be satisfied Saturday night at Bryant-Denny?
I don’t care if the score is 6-3, 31-28, or 100-0…if Bama gets the W, it will be a great night for me! RTR!
Big hits, big plays, and a tight game. 20-19 LSU. SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC!!
Miles is a better coach than Saban.
Going to have to disagree with you there.
With that being said, I think Miles gets the most out of his players second to none. No matter the game, LSU always feels it’ll have a chance to win. So many close finishes seem to ALWAYS go in the Tigers favor. That’s confidence.
Saban is a better coach than Miles.
See, that’s easy.