Game of the Century? LSU vs Alabama Analysis.

Let the debate begin.  Did last night’s 1 vs. 2 showdown live up to all the hype and expectations? The answer will swing on the answer to the following question: did we see two great defenses or two terrible offenses?

Below is a list of LSU’s opponents and their first three quarter scoring output (I’m just doing first three quarter scores, because several teams had late garbage time TDs):

Oregon (13 pts, 14 pts in the fourth quarter in a close game)

Northwestern State (3 pts)

Miss State (6 pts)

West Virginia (21 pts)

Kentucky (0 pts)

Florida (11pts)

Tennessee (7 pts)

Auburn (3 pts)

In case you were wondering that’s 5 of 8 teams equaling Alabama’s production.  Additionally, 4 of 8 teams were able to score TDs in relevant time; something Alabama cannot claim.  To add to that, only 1 of those teams is currently ranked in the top 20 of the BCS. 

I do still think that each of these defenses are extremely fast and explosive and very well might be the two best in the country.  And the hype of this game probably made them play even better.  But, shouldn’t a national champion contender be able to score more efficiently than sub par SEC opponents and unranked (after this week’s lost to Louisville) Big East squads? The point is that Alabama looked terrible on offense last night (I don’t even want to get started on special teams).  I was not impressed and do not think we can say it was just stellar defense that caused the game to end with 5 total field goals.  I definitely don’t think that it warrant its billing of “game of the century”.

Still, I do think that LSU deserves to be the #1 team in the country and they do have an inside track to the SEC championship and National Championship game.  But don’t book your flights just yet! With a trip to an impressive looking Arkansas team looming, look out for a possible three way tie for the SEC west championship.  Arkansas could still win the West outright with a win over LSU and a loss by Alabama (they do have to travel to Auburn).  

In the end, I think LSU wins the SEC and heads to the National Championship game.  In that case, I think they will face Stanford, Oklahoma State, or even Oklahoma.  Each of these teams have very explosive offenses and are each in the top 6 in the country in scoring offense; OKState (2), Stanford (3), Oklahoma (6).  They could easily challenge LSU’s tough defense and could then pressure LSU’s struggling offense.  The winner of this game will finally answer the question I asked in the outset: was it two great defenses or two terrible offenses? 

In case you were wondering; below are Alabama’s first 8 opponent’s scoring outputs (it’s the same type of deal as I wrote above concerning LSU):

Kent State (7 pts)

            Penn State (3 pts)

            North Texas (0 pts)

            Arkansas (14 pts)

            Florida (10 pts)

            Vanderbilt (0 pts)

            Ole Miss (7 pts)

            Tennessee (6 pts)