1 LSU @ 2 Alabama

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) -- It was hard to escape the hype around the LSU-Alabama game when both squads were off last week. Now, it's downright impossible.

 

Alabama linebacker Dont'a Hightower had just finished celebrating a win over Tennessee two weeks ago when he saw the first ad for the LSU game. When Barrett Jones chatted with family and friends back home in suburban Memphis, they didn't want to talk about the Vols game.

 

Like everybody else, they wanted to talk No. 1 LSU versus No. 2 Alabama.

 

"Everyone I saw pretty much was like, `You've got a pretty big game this week," said Jones, the Crimson Tide's left tackle. "I was like, `Yeah, we do. That's an underestimation."

 

After a nearly two-month buildup, Judgment Day -- SEC style -- is now just days away.

 

The Tide and Tigers collide Saturday night in Bryant-Denny Stadium in a game that's gotten weeks of hype as a potential national title elimination contest.

 

The winner certainly does have the inside track to play for both the Southeastern Conference and national titles, with no guarantees beyond that. The game is so big that even Alabama's all-business coach, Nick Saban, didn't try to downplay its magnitude Monday before a room packed with close to double the normal media contingent on his 60th birthday.

 

LSU coach Les Miles as usual wants his players to embrace the big-game trappings. He said he doesn't want the Tigers coaching or playing like normal for a game that's anything but.

 

"I want the players to enjoy the glare and the light of the big stage," Miles said. "I want them to enjoy the opportunity to play for a big victory. Once I've prepared the team and after I feel I've done a quality job, I want the players to play with freedom.

 

"If there is a chance to make a dominant play, I want them to make that play."

 

This isn't altogether uncharted territory for either SEC power. The veterans have played in big games like this. In January. Or even December.

 

It's the November part that's new. It's the first time two SEC teams have met before the league title game ranked 1 and 2 in the nation.

 

There hasn't been a regular season No. 1 and 2 showdown anywhere since Ohio State and Michigan's 2006 finale.

 

"We live for games like this," Tide noseguard Josh Chapman said. "You want to go against great teams. Being in the SEC, it's a great matchup. We're ready for it."

 

The two SEC West rivals have been on a season-long collision course.

 

Both brushed off their first eight opponents with a series of double-digit wins, walloping East Division foes Florida and Tennessee by a combined 61 (LSU) and 59 (Alabama) points.

 

The Tigers dispatched No. 6 Oregon by 13 points; the Tide walloped No. 8 Arkansas 38-14. It didn't take long for this one to start seeming like the big one.

 

Even bigger than usual. The winner of this game has played for the SEC championship game four of the past six years, twice apiece. And last year was the first time in that span that the winner didn't either play in Atlanta or in a BCS bowl.

 

It seems everyone knows it's not just another game.

 

"Twitter, Facebook, we've been hearing it from everywhere," Hightower said. "It's really exciting. You've been hearing about it ever since the Tennessee game. As soon as I got home, I saw the commercials for it, LSU versus Alabama. We're really excited for it, but we can't let that get to us."

 

Saban said instructing players to ignore the hype and keep the TV and laptops tuned away from pre-game coverage is like laying down dating ground rules for your children -- you hope they abide by them but you can't really be sure.

 

"I'm sure that there's some players on our team who pay very little attention, and there's other players who could get caught up in that type of thing," Saban said.

 

He isn't dismissing the notion that the loser of the game is bumped from the national title picture, and maybe even a possible rematch in the BCS championship game.

 

Chances are, that would require a loss by unbeaten teams like No. 3 Oklahoma State, No. 4 Stanford and No. 5 Boise State.

 

"I think everybody should view that game as these are two of the best teams playing and how that game affects the future should not be relative to just who won and lost, but actually the quality of the teams," Saban said.

 

That's a down-the-line concern, though. He's more concerned about stopping LSU quarterbacks Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson and finding a way to score against LSU's defense.

 

Saban said there's no "magic formula" for winning such games, just the basics like execution, focusing and winning the turnover battle.

 

In a region where priorities often go something like faith, family and football, they've become intertwined for some fans.

 

"People are coming up to me and saying they are praying for us," LSU safety Brandon Taylor said. "I am getting so many text messages and phone calls. They say, `Bring it to Alabama. You are playing for the state of Louisiana."

 

For Australia, too. LSU punter Brad Wing doesn't have many comparisons for this game from his native country. The stadium will be packed to its 101,821-fan capacity for a primetime game.

 

"From the culture I came from, there has not been a game like this that I've seen," Wing said. "There was the Grand Final (in Australian Rules football). It is the equivalent to the Super Bowl with 95,000 people. But the hype for that game doesn't match the hype for this game.

 

"This is the biggest game I've been around. I knew the hype was coming. When the teams are No. 1 and No. 2, the hype keeps getting bigger and bigger."

 

[rzb+ 367]

Whoever scheduled the times this week obviously didn't give a damn to ratings.

 

At the same time as this game, #7 Arkansas welcomes #9 South Carolina. At the exact same time, #14 Kansas State attempts to knock down #3 Oklahoma State.

 

It's going to be one of those weekends where TVs are stacked side-by-side so nothing is missed.

 

As for this game though, Alabama is picked by 5 (Rivals.com) which sounds about right. This game could easily be determined by field goals, especially with both defenses being so stacked.

[KeVo 176]

I am taking Alabama in this one. Gosh what a game it's going to be. This is the NC game right here, IMO.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

I know nothing about college football... But I have to think Bama has the edge. ROLL TIDE.

 

 

Although... I'd rather see LSU win.

[WindyCitySports 407]

Can't wait for this. It's what college football is all about.

 

LSU 20

Alabama 17

 

An SEC-style shootout.

[Thanatos 2,847]

It's the November part that's new. It's the first time two SEC teams have met before the league title game ranked 1 and 2 in the nation.

 

Maybe the article means before the *conference* title game, but the '09 SEC title game was #1 Florida vs #2 Alabama. Where the Tide killed them 32-13 and Tebow was crying on the sidelines.

 

Source

Edited November 4, 2011 by Thanatos19

[Sarge+ 3,436]

Bama 17

LSU 10

[Piggly Wiggly 960]

The hype that this game is getting is fucking retarded lol. Reminds me of the Pats-Jets MNF game when everyone was all like ''GAME OF THE YEAR FOR SURE!!!!111'', then it turned out to be a fucking 42-point blowout lol.

 

Anyways, not feeling too confident about this game for the Tigers as it's a primetime game in Tuscaloosa. 'Bama will probably win, but if LSU wins it'll be courtesy of a Drew Alleman FG with under a minute left. Book it.

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

As long as our defense, and special teams play their hearts out, we should be able to get by with Trent Richardson and Maze. This is what college football is about. I'm so fucking pumped for tonight.

Low scoring game

 

Alabama 13

LSU 12

[PackerMike 6]

This game could easily be determined by field goals, especially with both defenses being so stacked.

Bingo.

 

And fuck Mathieu.

[Piggly Wiggly 960]

'Bama will probably win, but if LSU wins it'll be courtesy of a Drew Alleman FG with under a minute left. Book it.

OHHHHHHHH, I ALMOST NAILED IT!

 

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

People in the shoutbox saying this game was bad for being low scoring can end their football lives. It was exactly what I was expecting it to be and went to OT. Both teams proved that they belonged at 1 and 2 and LSU came out on top.