Alabama beat LSU 24-15 in a game that could only be described as a monumental battle of wills
Alabama is now the SEC Western Division Champion and will be headed to Atlanta to play the Florida Gators in the SEC Championship game on Dec 5, 2009.
In a game that seemed more like a war of attrition, it began to look like the last team standing would surely win. LSU players had to be helped off the field after almost every big play.
That battle was finally won by Alabama after LSU lost their starting Quarterback, Running Back, two top Linemen, and their best Defensive Back all to injuries as the battle raged on.
It seemed as though there was a LSU player laying on the field motionless after almost every game changing play.
The Crimson Tide survived the game with only minor injuries and for the most part seemed to inflict more punishment on the Tigers than they received as the game wore on.
The score was not indicative of just how much Alabama dominated this game.
Alabama accumulated almost twice as many yards as LSU did Saturday with 452 yards to LSU's 253. They completely dominated LSU in the fourth quarter by holding the ball for almost 11 minutes and holding LSU to only 9 yards total.
Alabama outscored LSU 14-0 in the fourth and had 106 yards themselves.
The days of teams like LSU overpowering and outmuscling Alabama are over, and tonight showed the nation that Alabama has the talent, depth and toughness to play with any team in the country.
The win secured Alabama's spot in the SEC Championship Game where they will face the Florida Gators for the second year in a row.
It will be Alabama's seventh trip to the SEC Championship and Florida's tenth.
Alabama and Florida have appear in the SEC Championship Game more than any other SEC schools since the game was first held in 1992.
Alabama can now focus on revenge for last years loss to Florida.
The Gators prevented No.1 ranked Alabama from making their first trip to the BCS Championship Game in 2008 by holding on to defeat Alabama 31-20.
The 2008 game was in doubt until late in the fourth quarter when Tim Tebow engineered a near perfect drive in the closing minutes to clinch the victory.
Florida advanced to the BSC Game in Miami and won the BCS Championship by defeating Oklahoma 24-14.
It was Florida's second BCS National Championship and third National Title overall .
If Alabama defeats Florida on Dec 5 in Atlanta they will be playing for their first BCS National Championship and shotting for their thirteenth National Championship overall.
Alabama must still face and defeat Mississippi State, Tennessee Chattanooga, and Auburn in order to secure a slot for the BCS Championship.
Florida must still face South Carolina, Florida International and Florida State to fulfill their end on the bargain.
If both SEC teams continue to win it could very well be No.1 verses No.2 in the SEC Championship Game.
The winner of that pivotal match-up would then advance as the SEC representative to the BCS National Championship to be played on Jan.7, 2010 in Pasadena, Ca.
A loss by either team could ruin Florida and Alabama's chances for the trip to Pasadena as well as tarnish some of the luster in the upcoming SEC Championship Game on Dec.5.
Alabama is now over the proverbial hump after beating LSU, and must now guard against a letdown next week in Starkville, Ms and three weeks later down in Auburn, Al.
The question remains, will Alabama be able to catch and pass Texas in the BCS standing?
The answer is, not likely if Texas continues to win big.
Regardless of the BCS Standings, as long as Florida and Alabama stay perfect the winner will play for the BCS National Championship and that my friends, is a fact.
Who they play in that game could still be up to the voters and fate, but it would now appear it will be the SEC verses the Big 12 again as long as Texas wins out.
A Florida/Alabama verses Texas BCS Championship Game seems to be almost a certainly, but I personally wouldn't be willing to count out teams like Boise State, Cincinnati or TCU until the final whistle blows in December.
Alabama's battle for the SEC West is over, they must now refocus on winning the SEC Championship on Dec.5, 2009.
In addition to that they must remember that every game from this point on is a step towards their ultimate goal, the BCS National Championship Game on Jan.7, 2010.
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