The Game of the Century – #1 LSU versus #2 Alabama

By its very title, Game of the Century implies simply one game per century.  In the world of college football, it meant about five games during the last century and truthfully, since no one had coined the phrase prior to 1971, (you may have to check me on this), We really should rename the title, Game of the Decade Which May or May Not Be Shared  With Another Deserving Team Within The Decade So Really Game of the Decade Unless Another Game Comes Along That Is Better Within The Same Decade Then We Will Conveniently Forget That This Was The Game of the Decade.  As the more accurate title fails fabulously on a marketing level we stick with the misnomer, Game of the Century.

One would think from my opening paragraph, that I am not a big fan of these so called Games of the Century.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  I do think it is a bit presumptuous to give a game the title a whole week before kick off but those games that did wind up getting the designation, Game of the Century, (usually after the game had been played), have certainly lived up to the hype, (see 1971 Oklahoma/Nebraska; 1988 USC/Notre Dame; 1991 Florida State/Miami; Michigan/Ohio State 2005).  

This week's Game of the Century features my own alma mater, #2 Alabama versus #1 Louisiana State University.  On this Saturday, the nation, (the world?, aliens from the planet Grghgskzaxxx?), will tune in to watch two superpowers clash.  It's Ali and Frazier, The Celts versus the Lakers, Kim Kardashian versus that guy she just filed for divorce from.  In reality, this really could be one of those matchups that lives up to the absolutely, ridiculous amount of hype that it has and is being given.  On paper, this is probably the first game that really looks like it could rival the original Game of the Century 1971 matchup between Oklahoma and Nebraska.  Both teams mirror each other in many ways.  Stewart Mandel of CNN.SI called Alabama's defense "unworldly."  If, and this is a big if, if LSU's defense is not as good as Alabama's, it is not as good by a hair's breadth.  Per the NCAA, Alabama ranks #1 in total defense with LSU ranking #4.  Both Alabama and LSU have simply dismantled every opponent they have faced and there have been a slew of great opponents.  LSU took on currently ranked #24 West Virginia and currently ranked #7 Oregon at the start of the season and neither team were able to stay on the field with LSU.  Alabama's opponents haven't been quite as impressive but the results have been the same.  Alabama's most notable out of conference win was against Penn State which is currently ranked at #16.  It was their closest game of the season as Alabama beat Penn State 27-11.  Both teams have faced Florida and Tennessee.  Alabama played Florida and won 38-10.  LSU got the Gators the next week and won 41-11.  LSU played Tennessee on the third Saturday in October, a week more traditional of the Alabama/Tennessee game, and LSU won handily 38-7.  On the following Saturday, Alabama, after being tied at half time with the Volunteers, poured it on in the second half and beat Tennessee 37-6.  Both teams rely on a strong running game complimented with a good but conservative passing attack.  If Alabama looks in the mirror, they see LSU and the Tigers see crimson when they look in their looking glass. 

Many times, in a game like this, the hype starts a week or two before the teams take to the field.  That wasn't the case with this week's matchup between the Tide and the Tigers.  The hype started preseason.  With every week, the anticipation was notched a little higher.  As both Alabama and LSU have looked unstoppable, it only makes sense that a matchup between them would be the only thing possible of derailing these two freight trains.  So much hype has been bestowed on this game that there is already talk of a possible rematch of LSU and Alabama in the national title game.  Right now, I think that talk is very premature.  The world of college football can change drastically on any given Saturday.  There is no reason to get ahead of ourselves.  This Saturday we have a chance to see what might one day be considered one of the great matchups on the college football gridiron.  As to whether it winds up being one of those famous Games of the Century will be left to the results and time itself.  For now though, it is nothing more than an upcoming matchup between two great and evenly matched teams and I plan on savoring the game minus the needless hype.