The only game this weekend involving SEC schools that’s not expected to be a double-digit blowout. Alabama arrives at Tiger Stadium with its first regular season number-one ranking since 1980. If that’s not enough to get LSU fans fired up, this game marks the return of former Tigers coach Nick Saban.
“I think we’re going to boo him out of the stadium,” Jim Huggins said Friday afternoon, already partying with food, drink and friends even though the game was still 24 hours away. “They probably should bring him there in the pope-mobile,” the pontiff’s bulletproof vehicle.
The 9-0 Alabama team can clinch an SEC West title with a victory today. The line on this game opened at 2 1/2 but has moved up a point this week as people express confidence in Alabama.
The New Orleans Times-Picayune gives us a little history.
“The oddsmakers have installed Alabama as a 3 1/2-point favorite, though it’s unlikely the gambling professionals found much help from history. The Tigers, for instance, have a less-than-sterling record against top-ranked teams, having a 2-7-1 mark starting in 1939. But those two wins occurred the last two times LSU played the AP’s No. 1 team, most recently when it beat Ohio State last January to win the BCS championship.”
College football guru Phil Steele tosses out some other numbers for consideration.
“This is a toss-up so my decision rests on the time of the game. Unfortunately for LSU, this is an afternoon game (3:30 ET) and LSU is 21-23-3 in afternoon games at Tiger Stadium and 208-59-4 in night games at Tiger Stadium since 1960, so my guess is that the Tide will stay at the top.”
