Game of the Year!

Are you kidding me America?  How sweet is this? On Saturday is the proclaimed "game of the century".  When you think about the great sports rivalries you think LSU-Alabama college football, Duke-North Carolina college basketball, Yankees-Red Sox baseball and Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal in tennis.  Well this Saturday LSU and Alabama square off in the Super Bowl of college football.  8-0 undefeated LSU travels to 8-0 undefeated Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  LSU is ranked number 1 in the nation and right behind them sits number 2 Alabama.  The winner of this great rivalry will be the overwhelming favorite to win the National Championship; do you now understand why it’s now called the game of the century??

This rivalry is so interesting because mainly because of the fans and the coaches.  These fans absolutely despise each other.  These states only separated by Mississippi have the most passionate fans in the nation and can't wait to get at each other, not on the playing field, but probably in the stands.  Nick Saban was LSU's coach from 1999-2004.  In 2003 he led LSU to the national championship making them the elite program in college football.  After the 2004 season he bolted for the NFL to coach the Miami Dolphins.

Enter Les Miles, the present coach at LSU.  From 2005-2011 Miles has become the winningest coach in LSU history and won them the 2007 National Championship.  He is beloved in the bayou and made tiger fans forgot about Saban.  However, at the beginning of the 2007 Saban returned to college football to coach any time he wanted.  So where do you think he went?  You guessed it, Alabama.  Saban (also known as Satan to diehard LSU fans for pulling a Benedict Arnold on them) turned the Alabama program around and won the 2009 national championship.  Saban has put Alabama's program right on par with Miles' program at LSU.

From 2007-2010 when Miles and Saban have coached against each other the teams have provided 4 amazing games.  LSU won 41-34 in 2007 at Alabama which catapulted them to the National Championship.  In 2008 Saban made his return to Tiger Stadium and defeated the Tigers in overtime.  In 2009 Saban again defeated Miles which led Alabama to the National Championship that year.  Finally, last year's epic battle in Baton Rouge was won 24-21 by LSU after Miles gambled on a fourth down where he called a reverse that led to the game winning score.  Look how even these teams are: 2-2 in the past four games, each teaming winning at home and away and each teaming winning one national title.

So for my prediction on this year’s game?  Both of these teams have unbelievably defenses and above average offenses.  Alabama is at home and has the best player on the field in running back Trent Richardson.  However, I feel that LSU has superior depth on both offense and defense, has two senior quarterbacks who both get action and the biggest advantage over Alabama, their special teams.  I am going to go with LSU 20-17 to win the game of the century on the road.  Either way football fans this game is going to be amazing.  There is so much future NFL talent on the field it is scary.  I will be like a kid in a candy story Saturday night watching the "Game of the Century"!!!