BCS National Championship Game: tOSU 24, LSU 38 (final)

[pokey]

Originally Posted by scarletngray

Actually, Beanie does a pretty decent job at pass blocking, as does MO Wells.

MO Wells is a monster pass blocker. From what I have seen, Beanie seems inconsistent.

[sluTiger]

The first shot from ESPN at LSU, looks like not everyone thinks LSU will win...

College Bowl Mania: Bowl Mania - Game-by-game previews and picks

Allstate BCS National Championship (23 points)

New Orleans, Louisiana
January 7, 8:00 p.m. ET
LSU Tigers versus Ohio State Buckeyes

Of all the storylines and subplots that will surround this game between now and January 7, the most interesting may be the matchup between Jim Tressel and Les Miles. Scholarly and unassuming, Tressel is the better coach by any standard save recruiting prowess. Arrogant, brash and widely disliked even among LSU fans, Miles is dying to earn a championship ring to quiet the critics who mock his strategic ineptitude. Miles not only has his shot, but is the unanimous favorite. That's due in no small part to Miles' aforementioned recruiting prowess, as well as that of his predecessor, Nick Saban. The Tigers ooze talent and athleticism at every position. That's less true of Ohio State, but while the raw materials may be a slightly lower grade, the finished product is basically the same. Both offenses are run-first units, but not without solid balance in the passing game. The defenses are even better, and both feature tons of NFL talent, including near-household names like LSU's Glenn Dorsey and OSU's James Laurinaitis. LSU has the slightly better offense, Ohio State the slightly better defense. The Buckeyes' superior pass rush provides an edge against LSU's shaky protection. LSU is also the second-most penalized team in the nation, while the Buckeyes draw few flags. The Tigers get to play in the Superdome. And on and on. Every fundamental and statistical matchup and detail will be dissected between now and kickoff, claiming dozens of slight advantages for each side. In the end, no one will uncover an edge that can be safely considered significant.

The underdog actually looks like the slightly better team on paper, but there's a legitimate argument that the Buckeyes have played a slightly softer schedule. As with nearly all national title games, these teams are evenly matched. If both teams play at the same level, it will be a stalemate that's too close to call. Usually that means the game will be won by the minds as much as the bodies. Both teams obviously want a win, but who wants it enough to sweat and bleed for it, not just during the game but every waking moment between now and then? The stakes for LSU are high. A second national title in five years could mean that the Tigers supplant USC as the most dominant team of the decade. For Ohio State, the stakes are even higher. The Buckeyes are playing for the respect of the nation, respect that would already have been granted to most programs with 55 wins, a national title and four BCS appearances in the previous five years. For many fans, though, the Buckeyes' embarrassment at the hands of Florida last year simply confirmed their long-held conviction that Ohio State isn't any good, that the Big Ten isn't any good, and that football players from the North are fat and slow. Nationally, Ohio State will be considered inferior to LSU, Florida, USC, Oklahoma and any warm-weather team having a great year until the Buckeyes beat a highly-regarded SEC team in a big-time bowl. The Buckeyes are well aware of this. This is more than a big-time bowl. It's the national championship, and LSU is the perfect opponent. For the Buckeyes players and coaches, this game is more than an opportunity to win a national title. It's an opportunity to erase the effects of the worst day of their lives. A chance at national-title redemption doesn't come around very often for a given group of players, and when it does those players usually perform in a way that reminds us that atonement is a powerful motivator. Remember Florida's dismantling of Florida State the year after the Tommie Frazier beatdown? Ohio State will play the very best game it can possibly play. That will be more than enough to win. Ohio State 24-9

[NateG]

If you look thru the list Will harris thinks all but 2 big ten teams win their games though. Indiana and Illinois. Could be a north side homer. Anyone have anything on Will Harris. Not saying I dislike the predictions.

[bigballin2987]

Originally Posted by NateG

If you look thru the list Will harris thinks all but 2 big ten teams win their games though. Indiana and Illinois. Could be a north side homer. Anyone have anything on Will Harris. Not saying I dislike the predictions.

From his blog on ESPN.

Will Harris is a college football and fantasy baseball analyst for ESPN.com. A native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Will attended his first Iron Bowl at age two, and he has been a professional college football analyst for his entire adult life. One of his greatest achievements was predicting Arizona State's monumental 19-0 upset of Nebraska in 1996. While his foremost loyalty is to his beloved Crimson Tide, he considers all 119 teams his children.

[Jaxbuck]

he has been a professional college football analyst for his entire adult life.

He found a way to get paid to talk the same [censored] as they guy at the end of the bar. Congrats.

One of his greatest achievements was predicting Arizona State's monumental 19-0 upset of Nebraska in 1996

If predicting an upset in football is one of your greatest life achievments you'll probably end up being that guy at the end of the bar.

[jlb1705]

We have the fastest coach on either team. Facing The Great Pumpkin Phil Fulmer cannot prepare you for the kind of speed you'll see from the Buckeye coaches. You guys are screwed!

[Gatorubet]

Originally Posted by Jaxbuck

He found a way to get paid to talk the same [censored] as they guy at the end of the bar. Congrats.

If predicting an upset in football is one of your greatest life achievments you'll probably end up being that guy at the end of the bar.

You want me in that bar. You need me in that bar!

[Tigertracker]

I don't know how it works in Ohio, but here in La. our state representatives are able to buy 2 tickets to any bowl game LSU is in, at face value, even though some of them have never been to a game in their lives. Most give them away to friends or people they want to suck up to. The sad part is that they can also buy 4 more tickets from the bowl commitee. Some of them are actually complaining because there is a rule that they must buy a Sugar Bowl ticket for each NC ticket. So if any of you want some Sugar Bowl tickets, just call the La. state capital and ask for a rep., they sure as hell ain't gonna use them.