The Alabama Crimson Tide missed its chance at the No. 1 ranking when they missed three field goal opportunities against the top-ranked LSU Tigers in their only loss of the season. Head coach Nick Saban and his team will get the opportunity to earn some revenge and make everybody forget about that loss if they can capitalize in a rematch against LSU in this year’s Allstate BCS Championship game as slight sports betting underdogs.
Allstate BCS Championship Game
Alabama Crimson Tide vs. LSU Tigers
Monday January 9, 2012 – 8:30 PM ET
Mercedes Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
College Football Betting Line: LSU Tigers – 1
The fact that the difference between these two programs this season came down to a couple of missed field goals is enough to warrant a rematch on the biggest stage. The Tigers had the tougher schedule and came out on top in the end, but it will be all for none if they can’t go 2-for-2 against the Tide this season.
College Football Betting Preview: Alabama
Saban understood the first time around that if his team was going to have any chance against a team as talented as LSU, it would come down to a strong effort on defense to keep it close until the end. The Alabama defense lived up to expectations by holding a Tigers’ offense that averaged 38.5 points per game during the regular season to just a pair of field goals in regulation, but their own special teams didn’t get the job done when they had the chance to win it with a field goal of their own. If the Tide are going to avenge that loss, they will need to get the same intensity from their defense, and capitalize on the opportunities they have on the other side of the ball in a game that could in which the line is so close according to the pay head bookies.
College Football Betting Preview: LSU
The only team that finished with a higher ranked defense than LSU during the regular season was Alabama, so head coach Les Miles understands full well that beating them a second consecutive time in the same season will come down to capitalizing on opportunities. The quarterback tandem of Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee combined for nearly 2,000 passing yards and 20 touchdowns while splitting time, but the focus for both will be on protecting the football. The running back tandem of Michael Ford and Spencer Ware will be relied on even more to move the chains, and how well they do against the Tide’s stingy defense will be a good indicator of how this game ends up.
College Football Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick
Alabama will have all hands on deck as it shoots for a second national title in three years, and as long as they are able to capitalize on their opportunities this time around there is no reason to think they won’t be able to get the job done. Rarely does a top-ranked team lose twice to the same opponent in the same year, and it won’t happen in this situation with the SEC bound to take home the NCAAF football national title once again regardless of the outcome.
Gambling Advisor blog Pick: Alabama Crimson Tide + 1
