There is a new No.1 today as Alabama unseated previously unbeaten LSU in last night’s BCS National Championship Game. The Crimson Tide, who fell 9-6 to the Tigers in their regular season clash, powered past Les Miles’ bewilder crew 21-0 to claim their second national title in the last three years. Despite Alabama’s amazing Superdome performance, the odds makers at Bovada.lv, who had last night’s contest listed as a moneyline pick’em, have LSU listed as an early favorite to win next year’s national championship in their 2013 BCS Odds. The Tigers are pegged at 4 to 1 odds to help Miles win his second BCS title.
Alabama proved decisively last night that the best team did not win in its early November meeting with LSU. The Crimson Tide controlled that game but lost due to four missed field goals. They would make amends in a big way yesterday, dominating the top ranked Tigers from the opening kickoff on to win the 2012 BCS National Championship. The victory assured Alabama head coach Nick Saban his third national title and his second as the Crimson Tide front man.
As predicted, the Tide’s smothering defense set the tone early and it never let up, limiting LSU to five first downs and 92 total yards. Yes, you read that right, the Tigers, a team which averaged over 38 points and 375 yards per game during the regular season looked like a Pop Warner team in last night’s game. While Miles took heat for not replacing an ineffective Jordan Jefferson with backup Jarrett Lee, it is difficult to imagine anyone, even the most ardent of Tigers’ supporters, believing Lee would have made a difference against Saban’s defense.
Alabama’s one-for-the-ages defensive performance overshadowed an impressive offensive showing from Saban’s troops. Sophomore quarterback A.J. McCarron did not throw a touchdown pass in the game, but he did complete 23-of-34 passes for 234 yards in a coming of age effort. Junior tailback and Heisman finalist Trent Richardson also made his presence felt with a 20 carry, 96 yard, one touchdown outing.
The Tigers, which are typically a raucous, confident, and energetic bunch, clearly had the wind taken out of their sails early, and the dejection could be seen on their faces throughout the painful loss; however, if the pundits and odds makers are correct, LSU can begin pulling its head off the ground any day now. Miles has another top ranked recruiting class coming in, including a committment from the nation’s top rated quarterback, Gunner Kiel, and he also returns a host of key contributors from this year’s squad. Back in the fold are players like Tyrann Mathieu, Spencer Ware, Michael Brockers, Anthony Johnson, and Kevin Minter, which gives LSU plenty of talented experience to go along with its impressive 2012 class.
2013 BCS Odds: Provided by Bovada.lv
LSU 4/1
Alabama 5/1
USC 9/1
Florida State 12/1
Georgia 12/1
Oklahoma 12/1
Oregon 12/1
Arkansas 18/1
Notre Dame 18/1
Michigan 20/1
Clemson 25/1
Texas 25/1
Virginia Tech 25/1
Florida 30/1
South Carolina 30/1
West Virginia 30/1
Kansas State 35/1
Nebraska 35/1
Wisconsin 35/1
Auburn 50/1
Boise State 50/1
TCU 50/1
Cincinnati 65/1
Mississippi State 65/1
Washington 65/1
Arizona 75/1
Iowa 75/1
Michigan State 75/1
Oklahoma State 75/1
Stanford 75/1
Missouri 85/1
Penn State 100/1
Pittsburgh 100/1
Tennessee 100/1
Texas A&M 100/1
BYU 125/1
California 125/1
Miami (FL) 125/1
North Carolina 125/1
Boston College 150/1
Georgia Tech 150/1
South Florida 150/1
UCLA 150/1
Oregon State 200/1
