LSU vs. Alabama: Just as Ugly as Their First Meeting

            Tonight's BCS National Championship was one of the most polarizing matchups in college football in recent memory. Fans were divided in the weeks leading up to the big game on whether this was a good matchup for the viewers. The teams with the two best defenses in NCAA Football were getting the chance to face each other in a rematch after LSU won 9-6 in early November thanks to four missed field goals by Alabama. For die-hard fans, what is not to like about the matchup? The game would close, low scoring, each team has a Heisman finalist, the defenses are almost NFL quality, and the head coaches on opposite sidelines are two of the greatest minds in the game. However, a touchdown would be a rare occurrence, the offenses would struggle to get past midfield, and it would be no surprise if Alabama's kicking woes were to continue. By the time the National Championship had reached the third quarter, I knew it was one of the most disappointing final games ever.
            While the majority of the time, a 15-0 lead is not considered dominant, but considering the circumstances that the game is winding down and LSU has yet to snap the ball on Bama's side of the field, the Crimson Tide are in complete control of the reigns. From LSU's first possession, it was clear Alabama was looking for revenge against the Tigers and setting the tone with its physical defense. LSU's first run attempt was stonewalled, Jordan Jefferson bobbled the snap two plays later, Les Miles' team went three and out, which forced them to punt. One of the few bright spots on the evening was punter Brad Wing, whose first kick went 59 yards and pinned Alabama on their own ten yard line. Uncharacteristically, Alabama came out of the gate being a pass-first offense. A.J. McCarron started out 3-3 on the Crimson Tide's first drive, exploiting LSU's defense through the short passing game.
            After exchanging punts, King sent another booming punt down the field for 54 yards, only to have Alabama speedster Marquis Maze make up 49 of those yards on his return. Sadly, Maze pulled his hamstring on the play and was forced to watch the rest of the game from the sideline. Wide receiver Darius Hanks slid to catch a pass from McCarron for the longest gain so far in the game, which help set up a Jeremy Shelley field goal. Alabama kept LSU off guard by sticking with passing play calls, which allowed them to move the chains frequently throughout the game. Bama's defense was manhandling LSU's offense and holding them to their own half of the field and forcing them to punt. LSU made way too many mistakes against a team the caliber of Alabama, including multiple botched snaps and  penalties that hurt the Tigers' momentum.
             Kevin Norwood had a leaping acrobatic catch over Tyrann Mathieu that led to a 49-yard field goal attempt fot Alabama. The Crimson Tide faked the kick, instead having the holder McCarron shovel pass the ball to Norwood for a first down by the slightest of margins. Bama's ensuing 42-yard field goal attempt was blocked by defensive tackle Michael Brockers, keeping the score to 3-0. Alabama continued to chip away at LSU's defense with first down pass plays, with a critical play coming on a screen pass to Hanks for nine yards.
           The story was not the same for the Tigers. With Jordan Jefferson playing the entire game, LSU could never establish an offensive rhythm and only made it into Alabama's half of the field late in the fourth quarter. Jefferson was horrendous running the option, which needed to work for LSU to have a chance to win the game. He struggled making Alabama's defensive ends commit to him or the running back and the Tigers lost yardage almost every time. Jefferson's only good plays were the few times he scrambled out of the pocket. His worst moment came in the third quarter when a play was breaking down and he shoveled passed the ball to his running back, who was blocking downfield, and it was picked off by C.J. Mosley, who was injured on the play.
            The story of the game was Alabama's defense controlling LSU's offensive possessions and McCarron getting his squad into field goal range for Shelley,  who was 5-7 on the night, to put the ball through the uprights. Suprisingly one touchdown was scored in the game when Alabama started one of their possessions at the 50-yard line and Trent Richardson bounced outside for a 34-yard touchdown run. Ironically, Shelley shanked the PAT off of the right goal post and the final score was 21-0.

Courtesy of http://sportsbore.com/college-football/roll-tide/

            Here are some of my thoughts on the game:

•   LSU may have proved tonight why a dual-quarterback system does not work--with two signal callers, each one gets half of the first team snaps and it is difficult to develop a rhythm on offense. Jefferson did not look good at all tonight and I bet many LSU fans are questioning Les Miles' decision to not play Jarred Lee.
• Alabama is very lucky that the game was not closer. Shelley missed two field goals and a PAT, which was the reason why they lost to the Tigers in November. Same story, just different result. I think the kicker position is way under valued in college football. There were at least half a dozen major losses this season because kickers could not put the ball through the uprights. Oklahoma State potentially lost a BCS Title Game-bid because of it. Stanford and Virginia Tech lost bowl games because of missed field goals. If I were Alabama, or any major program in the country for that matter, use one of your scholarships to land one of the best kickers in the country to avoid these scenarios in future years.
• Jordan Jefferson should go to the NFL combine as a safety prospect. Clearly his chances at getting drafted as a quarterback are as likely as the number of points his team scored tonight--zero. However, his injury-inducing hit on C.J. Mosley was a great tackle. If he can bottle up the rage he felt in that moment in every play, he may have a future on an NFL team's practice squad on defense.

The Heisman Race

            This year's Heisman Trophy race is one of the most competitive in the history of college football. Even the non-finalist candidates would be strong picks to win the Heisman if they were selected to be in the final group. The five finalists are Wisconsin running back Montee Ball, Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, LSU defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, and Alabama running back Trent Richardson. All of the finalists' teams are in the top 12 teams in college football and they are key players to their teams' successes. Some of the notable players not selected to be finalists are Kellen Moore, Matt Barkley, Case Keenum, and Russel Wilson. It would be near impossible to accurately predict the order that the candidates finish in since there is no player that stands out from the field like current Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton did last year. Here is the breakdown of the finalists:

 Montee Ball

Courtesy of http://bloguin.com/crystalballrun/2011-articles/november/the-doak-walker-award-projecting-the-finalist.html 

Bio

University of Wisconsin

Running Back #28

Junior

5' 11" 210 lbs.

            Montee Ball is an absolute powerhouse. Ball rushed for nearly 1,800 yards and 32 touchdowns. Not only is he a strong runner, but he is a dual offensive threat, as a receiver out of the backfield as well. While he only has twenty receptions on the year, six of them were for touchdowns and he accumulated 255 receiving yards. Recently, Ball has been in the national spotlight because he is one touchdown shy of tying Barry Sanders' record of 39 total touchdowns in a single season. Since the Badger running back averages three TD's per game, he should have no problem breaking the record in the Rose Bowl against Oregon. Ball led his Wisconsin Badgers to a Big Ten Championship over Michigan State and the Badgers are tenth in the BCS. Montee Ball's best case for the Heisman is his key contributions to Wisconsin's 11-2 record and his historic offensive season. Even a bad game for Ball should allow him to surpass Sanders on the single-season touchdown record. Ball was a consistent performer all year--rushing for over 100 yards and nearly three total touchdowns each game. Every game was a highlight reel for him, so it is hard to point to one or two games in which he especially excelled, because he excelled in every game.

Robert Griffin III

Courtesy of http://nflmocks.com/2011/11/10/2012-nfl-mock-draft-week-10-robert-griffin-iii-top-five/

Bio

Baylor University

Quarterback #10

Junior

6'2" 220 lbs.

            Robert Griffin III is the leading Heisman candidate according to most college football experts. He led the Bears to a 9-3 record while throwing for just shy of 4,000 yards. RGIII is a very efficient passer, throwing for 36 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions this year. His completion percentage was above 70% in the regular season and had a passer rating of 192.3. While he is a pass-first quarterback, Griffin is able to use his legs when he needs to, rushing for nine touchdowns on the season. His 2011 resumé includes wins against the ranked opponents of TCU, Oklahoma, and Texas. Two out of Baylor's three losses were at the hands of two of the top teams in the country-- Oklahoma State and Kansas State. He definitely passes the "eye test" with his electric play and leading the high-octane Baylor offense in one of the toughest college football confereces. While the SEC is often referred to as the best college football conference, the Big 12 is a close second, with five ranked teams, four of which are in the top fourteen in the BCS. Did I mention he broke the passer efficiancy record this season? Griffin had above a 61% completion percentage in all of his games, his best being a 90.5% effort against Stephen F. Austin. In half of Baylor's games, he had above a 200 quarterback rating.

            One of his best moments this year was in the season opener against TCU, when he drove the length of the field with four minutes left in the fourth quarter. He was featured on throwing, rushing, and even a receiving play on the final drive, which help set up the game-winning field goal. Another defining moment for RGIII was against Oklahoma, then the #5 team in the country, when he threw for nearly 500 yards and four scores in a very competitive game.

              With such a close group of finalists, it is difficult to make anyone the favorite, but Robert Griffin III is most likely the front-runner to win the Heisman.

Andrew Luck

Courtesy of http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-01-06/sports/30018354_1_andrew-luck-wrong-decision-dumb-decision

Bio

Stanford University

Quarterback #12

Senior

6'4" 235 lbs.

            On Saturday, we may find out if Andrew Luck's decision to return to Stanford for another season was the right decision. Winning the Heisman isn't a make or break on if he should have left after last season for the NFL, but he could have no regrets if he wins the most prestigious award in college football. With all of the buzz this week about the Indianapolis Colts potentially drafting Andrew Luck, the casual football fan would have no idea that Luck is even a Heisman finalist. In his final season as a Cardinal, he led Stanford to an 11-1 record. The one loss came to #5 Oregon, which begs the question would Stanford be in the national championship if they had an undefeated season. However, that is an unrelated matter. Luck put up the same kind of numbers that he did in 2010, with 3,170 yards, 35 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Luck is easily the best quarterback prospect in this year's draft class and shows a lot of maturity in the way that he handles himself. Andrew Luck is the biggest reason why Stanford is currently #4 in the BCS. Had he left for the draft last season, Stanford would be lucky to be break the top 20, assuming that they would even be ranked. While Luck doesn't operate with as much flash or ESPN Top Ten-worthy plays as the other finalists do, he is the best overall student-athlete. He has the whole package--a gifted student, a quarterback who lives and breathes the game, and is an overall good person. While the Heisman voters may not be choosing the winner based on a finalist being a "good person," no one could complain if Andrew Luck wins the award.

              He will be remembered for breaking John Elway's touchdown record, putting Stanford's football program on the map, and his overall passing ability. Whether or not Luck wins the Heisman, he is built to have success in the NFL, which he would say is more important than any college award.

Tyrann Mathieu

Courtesy of http://www.thebestdamnpoll.com/Default.aspx?tabid=112&g=posts&m=485283

Bio

Louisiana State University

Cornerback #7

Sophomore

5'9" 175 lbs.

            In recent history, with the Heisman trophy going to the best player on the best, or at least one of the best, team (2010--Cam Newton, 2009--Mark Ingram, 2008--Sam Bradford, 2007--Tim Tebow), Mathieu should feel honored that he is the "representative" from the undefeated #1 team LSU. With a dual-quarterback system at LSU and two running backs that split the carries, no one on LSU's offense was worthy of nomination. Therefore, if someone from LSU was to be a finalist, it had to be a member of the second best defense, in terms of points allowed, in the country. Mathieu being both a sophomore and a defensive player shows how good he is. He has 71 tackles this season, along with 1.5 sacks, two  interceptions, six forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and seven deflected passes. While a defensive player has won the Heisman, such as Charles Woodson, I can comfortably say the Mathieu won't finish in the top three finalists. He has a knack for getting to the ball and causing mayhem on defense, especially at key times this season for LSU, but defensive players are simply at a disadvantage for winning the Heisman. Also, his small chances of winning may be reduced even more because of his one-game suspension this season. I hope he proves me wrong and is the reason why LSU wins the BCS National Championship, but despite his impressive numbers, he doesn't quite compare to some of the other contenders.

Trent Richardson

Courtesy of http://www.draftinsiders.com/node/1416

Bio

University of Alabama

Running Back #3

Junior

5'11" 224 lbs.

            Trent Richardson has been a huge factor in Alabama's success this season as the #2 team in the country, only behind division rival LSU. This season, he rushed for over 1,500 yards, averaged 6 yards per carry, and scored twenty touchdowns. He was also productive as a receiver with over three hundred yards receiving and three touchdowns. Seeing fellow running back Mark Ingram win the Heisman in 2009 was probably a huge influence on Richardson, seeing what he could become if he worked hard enough. While Richardson doesn't have the offensive numbers that Montee Ball does, Richardson plays in a much tougher conference and will be playing for the national championship in January, unlike Ball. Richardson average roughly 150 all-purpose yards per game and is what makes the Crimson Tide offense go. If Alabama wins the national championship, the win will be attributed to three things: Nick Saban, Alabama's defense, and last but certainly not least, Trent Richardson.

            All five of this year's finalists represent college football very well and any of them, with the exception of Tyrann Mathieu, could realistically win the Heisman. It will be very exciting to watch the awards presentation and see how close the voting was, because I don't think anyone will honestly know the winner until the moment the name is read by the announcer. The beauty of this year's Heisman finalists is that four of the five are underclassmen, so we may mention some of these skilled football players in the same conversation next season. Here is how I see the results turning out:

Robert Griffin III

Trent Richardson

Andrew Luck

Montee Ball

Tyrann Mathieu

            The Baylor Bears will be honored with their first Heisman trophy-winning player in the history of their football program. Andrew Luck will be drafted number one overall in the NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts, mentored by Peyton Manning, start for the Colts full-time in his third season, and be a Pro Bowler by his fourth season. Trent Richardson and Montee Ball will both leave for the draft and be the first two running backs selected. Richardson will find a time where he splits the team's carries with another running back. Ball will be a workhorse and featured back in a high-powered offense. After winning the BCS National Championship and having an excellent game, Tyrann Mathieu will declare for the draft and get selected in the mid-to-late first round.