LIVE: Alabama vs. LSU for division… and SEC, and BCS
It's time to weigh in with your predictions. Here's mine: Alabama 20, LSU 16.
Nick Saban looks a lot shorter on TV.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — I’m quite certain there’s drinking going on here.
I heard something crazy like 30,000 LSU fans made the five-hour-plus drive from Baton Rouge to Tuscaloosa for the LSU-Alabama game, even though most of them don’t have tickets. Given the number of people I saw out there tailgating, I’m guessing a lot of Bama fans are here just for the scene — and the beverages — as well.
Welcome to the game of the week, the month, the season, the millennium — whatever you want to call it. It won’t get any better than Alabama vs. LSU or Nick Saban vs. Les Miles the rest of the season, nor probably even at bowl time. It’s difficult to imagine even the BCS title game living up to the buildup or the match-up.
These are the two best teams in the nation. By the end of the night, we might still believe they’re the two best teams in the nation (notwithstanding the fact that the loser will have one more defeat thank Oklahoma State,
If anybody lights a match, downtown will blow up.
Stanford and Boise State). Tonight’s winner will win the SEC West and likely be the favorites to win the conference and BCS championship games.
As I wrote in an earlier blog, it’s unfortunate that the two best teams play not only in the same conference (SEC) but the same division (West), which is why Alabama and LSU are meeting in November instead of January. And I doubt there will be a series of events that leads to a bowl rematch because I don’t think
As it turns out, one or two people decided to tailgate.
voters in the human polls will let that happen.
There’s not much left to say about the game. But here are a few things to thing about:
– Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron doesn’t get a ton of publicity. But given that games like this often are decided by a turnover, it’s worth noting he recently went 152 straight pass attempts (over six games) without an interception. He also has completed over 68 percent of his passes on third-and-long. I bring that up because . . .
This guy either lost a bet or is color blind.
– These are the two best defenses in the nation, so chances quarterbacks from both teams will face a number of third-and-long situations. In SEC games, Alabama is No. 1 in the conference with a 55.9 third-down conversion rate and LSU is third at 41.7.
– Of all the statistics that these two teams have put up this season, these two jump out at me most: 1) LSU has trailed only 6 minutes and 33 seconds all season; 2) Neither of these teams has trailed after any quarter all season.
Both of those stats will change tonight.
That’s it for now. I’ve posted a few photos to give you a feel for the atmosphere. I’ll be here blogging live until I have to start serving the print master. And now, I turn it over to you.
By Jeff Schultz
• Earlier: Weekend Predictions: Guaranteed winners (I’m serious this time)
• Earlier: Alabama-LSU have what everybody else wants — a great coach
• Earlier: Collapse of Hawks’ sale is just one more Spirit nightmare
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650 comments Add your comment
Inquiring Minds Want To Know
November 5th, 2011
7:05 pm
And I am still waiting for a Tide Roller to explain how not suspending a player who fails a drug test is the “AL way”. Queuing another set of crickets.
5150 UOAD
November 5th, 2011
7:05 pm
Jeff Schultz he can’t pay off his 72 Ford Pick-up and his 69 Doublewide.
Chuck Dowdle
November 5th, 2011
7:06 pm
STEVE – EVERYBODY KNOWS GEORGIA RARELY GOES OUTSIDE SEC TO PLAY A TOUGH OPPONENENT. AS A MATTER OF FACT UNTIL UGA PLAYED AT ASU A FEW YEARS AGO THE LAST TOUGH OUT OF CONFERENCE AWAY GAME WAS MIGHIGAN IN 1965. BUT POOR GEORGIA HAS NO CONTROL OF IT’S OPPONENTS. LOLZ!!! KEEP UP THE JOKE IN AHTENS UNITL LSU/BAMA SPANK THAT ARSE IN THE DOME.
Chuck Dowdle
November 5th, 2011
7:08 pm
YOU LEG HUMPERS GET OFF THE BLOG – BAMA-LSU GETTING READY TO RUMBLE.
Chuck Dowdle's Momma
November 5th, 2011
7:10 pm
Chuckie you know AL non conference schedule is Kent State, North Texas State, PSU and GA southern. And do you know typing is all CAPS is YELLING? So please be a good boy, pick the bottle down, lock the wife in the bedroom(so you don’t hurt her during the game) and put some cloths on.
Chuck Dowdle's Momma
November 5th, 2011
7:10 pm
Chuck Dowdle
November 5th, 2011
7:08 pm
YOU LEG HUMPERS GET OFF THE BLOG – BAMA-LSU GETTING READY TO RUMBLE.
Two of the dirtiest, corrupt programs in the nation. Documented.
Paul in NH
November 5th, 2011
7:11 pm
Steve
November 5th, 2011
6:51 pm
5150 I am sorry you don’t understand college football either. The loser of the SECCG always either goes to the Sugar Bowl or Capitol One Bowl. Two very good ones. Don’t be angry that Tech can’t win a bowl game.
—-
The loser of the SECCG ALWAYS goes to either the Sugar Bowl or the Capitol One Bowl?? Really??? Someone needs to tell that to SC – they played in the Chik-Fil-A Bowl last year. I guess they were driving down I-20 towards NOLA and stopped at the first big stadium they saw
Chuck Dowdle
November 5th, 2011
7:14 pm
STEVO-O – SON YOU MUST BE DRUNK SAYING SECCG LOSER AUTOMATICALLY HEADS TO SUGAR BOWL. APPARENTLY YOU MAKE UP THE RULES AS YOU POST. THE LOSER OF BAMA/LSU WILL BE RANKED IN THE TOP 5 AND GO TO THE SUGAR BOWL. DON’T WORRY THE SEC WILL GET YOU ACCOMMODATIONS IN TAMPA.
Steve
November 5th, 2011
7:16 pm
Ha. I bet Jeff. Still beats sitting in a cube 40 hours a week.
Steve
November 5th, 2011
7:16 pm
Chuck, if you can read, I said Capitol One also.
richmondDawg
November 5th, 2011
7:20 pm
There are two, possibly three BCS worthy teams in the SEC this year…Unfortunately, none of them are in the east…And I am a Dawg, not some undercover Yech fan saying this….FL and TN are awful, and GA and SC are pretty mediocre this year, and there is a good chance the conference might not have enough bowl eligible teams to fill all of its slots this year.
katherine
November 5th, 2011
7:24 pm
Lets go arkansas ( even though i hate petrino). I am also rooting for the tide to win…..guess we’ll see.
5150 UOAD
November 5th, 2011
7:26 pm
Steve……………must be ruff having the other UGA fans prove you to be a stupid MUTT.
Thanks for playing.
katherine
November 5th, 2011
7:28 pm
richmondDawg
November 5th, 2011
7:20 pm
There are two, possibly three BCS worthy teams in the SEC this year…Unfortunately, none of them are in the east…And I am a Dawg, not some undercover Yech fan saying this….FL and TN are awful, and GA and SC are pretty mediocre this year, and there is a good chance the conference might not have enough bowl eligible teams to fill all of its slots this year
wait….ok lsu, bama, south caroling and arkansas are all in the top 10. georgia and so miss and auburn are all in the top 25 as well…what are you talking about?
5150 UOAD
November 5th, 2011
7:29 pm
Come on Game Chickens get 7.
katherine
November 5th, 2011
7:31 pm
lol uoad rooting against the dawgs?
5150 UOAD
November 5th, 2011
7:31 pm
Kat………… what does So Miss have to do with the SEC?
Read about the Braves and leave football to the boys. LOL
5150 UOAD
November 5th, 2011
7:32 pm
Kat the DAWGS are not playing. They played North Gwinette earlier today.
Paul in NH
November 5th, 2011
7:32 pm
richmondDawg – I’ll give you LSU and ALA as BCS worthy. I am not so sure about Arkansas. Their best win is over a 6-3 Auburn team that I expect UGA to beat and they have a very bad loss to ALA.
45ACP
November 5th, 2011
7:32 pm
LSU is the winner tonight. And the Hogs beat the Cocks to put The Dawgs in 1st place in the East. I just love it when a plan comes together.
katherine
November 5th, 2011
7:36 pm
uoad…so miss is ranked number 25, and you know that the dawgs need so carolina to lose so whatever. save your sexist remarks for someone else.
5150 UOAD
November 5th, 2011
7:36 pm
Right now USCe and Arkansas are not good enough to be top 10 teams.
UGA moved up more in the polls not playing than they will for beating NMSU aggies.
katherine
November 5th, 2011
7:38 pm
and yes i was thinking at first it was ole miss when I saw southern miss…my bad
5150 UOAD
November 5th, 2011
7:39 pm
Kathrine…………….So Miss is not in the SEC so why are you talking about them? That is why I said stick to Baseball.
45ACP
November 5th, 2011
7:39 pm
The Hogs over the USCe 31 – 21. LSU over Bama 21 – 17. The Dawgs vault into 1st place in the SEC East!
katherine
November 5th, 2011
7:40 pm
well obviously they are good enough to be ranked in the top ten according to the bcs. I guess you know better
Jeff Schultz
November 5th, 2011
7:40 pm
Just letting you know folks: A lot of Wifi issues tonight, hoping it won’t be an issue on live blog. Probably has to do with the 300,000 cellphones in a 2-block radius.
katherine
November 5th, 2011
7:40 pm
yes i acknowledged by mistake….go kiss my arse
katherine
November 5th, 2011
7:41 pm
jeff…good luck getting out of there….looks insane
lizziebeth
November 5th, 2011
7:42 pm
OMG…they have a statue of Saban already? He’s only been there 5 minutes. What an insult to Bear Bryant. Saban hasn’t proven a thing yet. He hasn’t earned a legacy. Also, he has ZERO character and Bryant was a man of character to the nth degree. What an embarrassment.
5150 UOAD
November 5th, 2011
7:42 pm
KAT………….I was poking fun at you. I am usually nice to you and you know it.
katherine
November 5th, 2011
7:43 pm
lol lizzie…except a national championship…no biggie
5150 UOAD
November 5th, 2011
7:43 pm
Hog missed the kick. WOW.
katherine
November 5th, 2011
7:43 pm
ok uoad
5150 UOAD
November 5th, 2011
7:45 pm
lizzie……………..Bear had character? Yes and he had bad character too. He was no saint and all above board in his dealings.
lizziebeth
November 5th, 2011
7:46 pm
Kaherine – a SINGLE national championship…he in NO way compares to Bear Bryant.
Paul in NH
November 5th, 2011
7:46 pm
lizziebeth
I agree that a statue of Saban seems premature but to be fair outside Bryant-Denny there are statues of all of their coaches who have won MNCs – Wade, Bryant, Stallings, etc.
Alybammy Sammy
November 5th, 2011
7:48 pm
Are there many Gator fans there? Oh, yeah, sorry….that was long ago and far away and will never come again. America’s non-Southern, Southern team.
lizziebeth
November 5th, 2011
7:48 pm
Paul – didn’t know that. So, I guess he is one of the crowd. I just hope they never rename the stadium for him. I dont’ have any repsect for the man and I”m NOT an LSU grad.
katherine
November 5th, 2011
7:48 pm
lizzie….well give the man a chance…and why do you care if he has a statue?
5150 UOAD
November 5th, 2011
7:48 pm
Personal Foul on the Hogs. Playing Dirty early LOL.
5150 UOAD
November 5th, 2011
7:49 pm
Jaybo’s Lil Bro for the first down.
katherine
November 5th, 2011
7:50 pm
wow….all these penaltys are going to kill the hogs
katherine
November 5th, 2011
7:51 pm
penalties
ARdawg
November 5th, 2011
7:51 pm
For the Record, The Sugar bowl always gets the SEC Champion unless, that Champion is playing in the BCSCG then, the Sugar Bowl gets the #2 in the SEC (by record) in case of a tie, the Sugar Bowl chooses one
5150 UOAD
November 5th, 2011
7:53 pm
ARdawg and right now UGA is #5 in the whole SEC, but the 4 teams ahead of them are all playing each other tonight. Could help the dawgs some.
5150 UOAD
November 5th, 2011
7:54 pm
looks like 7 points for USC by the lil Yellow Flag
katherine
November 5th, 2011
7:54 pm
the only thing that really matters tonight for the dawgs is if arkansas can win…but they looked awful this first drive so………
Paul in NH
November 5th, 2011
7:56 pm
ARDawg – I thought that the BCS bowls pick which teams they want and the order is set by whether you lost your “host team” ( in the case of the Sugar, the SEC champion). Having said that, the bowls do like to pick teams from their linked conferences.
The Falcon Jedi
November 5th, 2011
7:57 pm
Alabama: 30
LSU: 24