Well the last day of the 2011 college football season is here. It doesn’t seem that long ago when I was celebrating with friends after the improbable comeback under the lights vs the golden domers. So much has happened in the past few months, it will be hard waiting until August now. Good thing it is almost baseball season.
Will there be more punts than points scored tonight? I keep looking at the matchup, and I just cant see either of these teams putting more than 2 sustained touchdown drives together for the game. Neither offense is dynamic enough to pull away in this game. While Les Miles said that people will get to see “big boy” football in this game, I tend to think we will just see a 70s Big Ten game. Yes, both defenses are incredible, they might be the best two college football has seen in a very long time. But I think both offenses will again be inept against each other.
Offensively there are very few skill players who are very spectacular. Alabama has an incredible offensive line and Trent Richardson. They have a QB who is a younger McElroy, the definition of game manager. The Tide’s receiving crew is average. LSU puts in Jefferson at QB, who knows what is going to happen with him under center. Yes he can run decently well, and he can hand off just fine. But when LSU gets in obvious passing downs, watch out because his throwing abilities rival that of Denards. LSU has a group of running backs who can pound out yards in between the tackles, but they lack the running back who can get to the outside and outrun people. The Tigers have a group of receivers with a little more talent that Bama’s but are still in every sense: average. While these coaches hire innovative defensive coaches, their offensive prowess is straight out of a Lloyd Carr handbook (run, run, pass, punt, and repeat). These two coaches are paid incredible amounts of money to recruit and win national championships. They recruit the best athletes every year, which is very obvious on the defensive side of the ball, but where are they hiding them on offense? It will be a shootout if one team can get into the 20s tonight, how is this exciting football?
Side note, you know that I enjoyed the first matchup between these two teams. There was some great hitting, very good blitzes, and just freak athletes all over both defenses. But I have seen this game before, and I don’t think we should be forced to watch it again. Yes it was a good defensive battle, but how can you not even score a touchdown and then be rewarded with a rematch. LSU has played one of the toughest schedules I have ever seen this year, they have already beaten Alabama in Tuscaloosa, I don’t think it is fair they had to beat a top 15 team in Georgia just to make the championship game while Bama got to sit home and watch. Now the tigers have to beat the Tide one more time just to be called the nations best team. So if Alabama wins tonight, they will have one less game, not win the SEC, not even win their own division, yet be considered the national champion. They had their chance, and got beat at home. I do think Bama is the 2nd best team in America, and even if they win tonight it will not change my opinion. Bama should have gone to the Sugar Bowl against Stanford, probably won the game and will finish the season number 2. Ok St deserved the chance to at least play for a championship. Can you imagine the best secondary in America, probably ever assembled on the college level, vs one of the best passing attacks including the most uncoverable receiver in college for the past 2 years. Yes, LSU would have found a way to win, and probably by 10+ points, but it would be exciting to see how a great defense plays a great offense. Instead we are left with 2 great defenses matching up against 2 boring average offenses.
I think I have talked up both defenses enough, but I will add a little more. If there was an all-star team on the college level it would include the LSU Dline, the Bama LBs, and then a combination of both secondaries. They are by far the best 2 defenses in the country. Out of the 22 starters, 18 will likely get a chance to play on the NFL level. That is unheard of. Look for both of these defenses to dominate the game tonight, but I think the outcome will come down to a big play by one of these groups. Can LSU score yet another defensive touchdown? Or can Alabama force a fumble or stop a 4th and inches from inside the 5?
I hope LSU finds a way to win again, but it will be hard to beat Saban 3 straight times. I think Bama finds someway to win this game, but just because I really don’t want any question of the national champion.. LSU 13-Bama 10.
No comments:
Post a Comment