SEC Saturday

Halloween, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day have all come and gone. Everyone is looking forward to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve. Before these holidays arrive there is a something of holiday today for college football fans because Lousiana State University is playing University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. LSU is ranked number one in the human polls and the computer rankngs. Alabama is ranked number two in the human polls and computer rankings.

CBS is broadcasting the game and ESPN Game Day is in Tuscaloosa. The game has been hyped up by the media. The two head coaches seem to be doing more interviews and commentary than usual.

ESPN is saying that 7 first round NFL Draft picks will be taking part in the game tonight. Additionally, Chris Fowler claims that 35 players from the two teams will be drafted by the NFL.

The winner of this game will have a great chance of making the BCS Championship game. The loser of this game still has a decent chance of making the championship game(if Oregon beats Stanford and Oklahoma State loses to either Oklahoma or the Big 12 Championship game)which goes to show that these are by far the two best teams in college football. Personally, a loss in this game(if the loser wins its remaining games) should not keep that team out of the championship game.

That being said I am not predicting a winner. I am only predicting a final score. The final score will be 23-17. Here are keys to the game and the game strategy that I expect to see.

Keys:
1) LSU and Alabama will both be psyched up beyond belief. There will be alot of those Ray Lewis like rain dances by both teams at the outset. However, Alabama will be more emotional because of the tornado that destroyed Tuscaloosa/Birmingham and because they are ranked NUMBER 2. Nick Saban will definitly be using this fact in his pregame speech. So, LSU has to withstand the initial emotion of Alabama and use it to their advantage. They can do it by using misdirection on offense to throw off the Bama linebackers Highsmith and Upshaw who I expect will be very emotional and boarderline out of control, especially Upshaw.
2)The Quarterbacks- I expect LSU to blitz McCarron alot and try to hit him early to knock him off his game. Alabama should try to do the same thing. Hitting and sacking the opposing QB in the first quarter is the most underrated aspect of football. The winner of this game will have negatively affected the opposing quarteback the most.
3)Referees- These teams are as evenly matched as can be. They essentially have the same strengths and weaknesses. Crummy or shady calls in this game will have a huge impact. Fair officiating will be critical. I can forsee a big kick return being called back for a marginal block in the back etc.

Arkansas will beat South Carolina 30-20.