College Football: LSU and Alabama Meet in Game of the Century

It’s finally here, the first ever #1 vs. #2 regular season meeting in SEC history. The Tigers of LSU travel to Tuscaloosa to face the Crimson Tide of Alabama. Al Dannity breaks down the latest ‘Game of the Century’.

Method to the madness
LSU’s run under Les Miles has been interesting, to say the least. After winning the BCS National Championship, the Tigers endured a string of years with plenty of wins but shockingly bad quarterback play. They still lack an elite signal-caller but a massive reduction in errors on that front, coupled with an improved running game, has meant the offense has caught up just enough to make the defense capable of destroying all before them.

That defense will be eyeing the potential for early scores off turnovers in Tuscaloosa. Alabama has conceded 30 points across the 8 opening quarters the Crimson Tide have played. Once the first quarter ends, the Tide go into lockdown having allowed just 25 points between the second and fourth quarters in all their games to date. That opening quarter will be seen by LSU as the best chance to play opportunistic defense, with Tyrann ‘The Honey Badger’ Mathieu looking to force mistakes when the Tide are on offense.

Immovable objects
Nobody has been able to move the ball on the ground against either of these teams in 2011. The Crimson Tide are giving up just 1.7 yards per rush while opponents are only gaining 2.5 yards per rush against LSU. In a game where both offenses are heavily run-oriented, the defense that stays truest to form will almost certainly come out on top.

The roles played by back-up running backs could prove crucial in finding holes. Much has been made of how LSU adopts a platoon approach whereas Alabama relies on Trent Richardson. College Football betting fans would be foolish however to dismiss the Tide’s back-up, Eddie Lacy, who has more yards than all but one of the Tigers’ running backs. Lacy also has the best yards per carry average of any player in Saturday’s game, perhaps making him the most likely to find gaps in the second level.

The verdict
There’s always some debate in a #1 vs. #2 match-up but never before have I found so much division over a game like this. It’s a testament to the quality of both these teams that it’s hard to see either of them losing. That being said, I’m pouring cold water on the notion of a re-match in the BCS title game. It will not happen. There’s simply no way the polls shut out all of the other conferences.

That makes Saturday a must-win game for both programs. Everything hinges on the outcome of this battle in Tuscaloosa. The location is a big factor. Home advantage is huge in a clash of SEC heavyweights. When Thunderstruck hits and two colossal forces meet on the field, sometimes it’s the little things that will make a difference. The Bama line will hold, Richardson and Lacy will find enough room to run, and the Tide will Roll.