Crimson Tide vs Bayou Bengals (11/5 at 8:00 pm ET, on CBS) - Game of the Year
Being pressed for time (having missed last week entirely), I'm just going with one game this week. And, sorry to fans of other teams that are playing in big games, this is the one that truly matters. This colossal match-up will almost certainly determine who plays for and wins the 2011/2012 national title. This is The Game of the Century (until next year when we have another game of the century, but let's just ignore this annual trend...).
Anyway, a quick run-down of the game. It's going to be a slobber-knocker. The two most physical teams in the NCAA. Two of the biggest, most athletic teams. And two disciplined teams that know how to win and will fight until the bitter end. Alabama has the most high-powered rushing attack in college football, led by Heisman frontrunner Trent Richardson (in turn led by a powerful OL). But LSU loves to stack the box, and their front seven is nothing to sneeze at. If there's one team in the country that can stop Alabama's crushing assault, it's LSU. Why? Because they can stack the box without to much worry of their opponent's passing attack. Their secondary is arguably the best in the country, and even though Bama has some burners at the WR position (Marquis Maze comes to mind), AJ McCarron isn't good enough to pick apart these Tiger DBs, led by phenomenal play-maker Tyrann Mathieu. But we know Bama is going to grind and grind, and if LSU can't muster up some offense, then even the greatest defensive effort won't do them any good. LSU's offense is a lot more fancy than the "pound the rock" style of Bama, but Jarrett Lee still isn't the QB to lead them back to the promised land. That's unfortunate, because if there's a chink in Alabama's defensive armor, then it's in their secondary. Their front seven is the best in NCAAF, will shut LSU's rushers down, and put huge pressure on Lee and other QB Jordan Jefferson. It's going to be a long day to be a QB for the Bayou Bengals. But it's going to be a great day to be a fan of college football.
Prediction: Alabama is at home, and I think that decides it. In the best football game of the year, Alabama wins by 6.
