Alabama vs. LSU Rematch: A.J. McCarron Will Be Crimson Tide's Downfall

Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron will be the Crimson Tide's downfall on Monday night in New Orleans in the BCS National Championship Game rematch against the No. 1-ranked LSU Tigers. 

Only a 21-year-old sophomore, McCarron lacks the big game experience playing in his first full season under center in Tuscaloosa. He threw for 2,400 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions in 12 games in 2011, but failed to bring Alabama a threatening aerial attack.

Looking back at McCarron's numbers from the Nov. 5 matchup with LSU in the Game of the Century, it's easy to call out the Mobile native as one of the Tide's biggest detriments.

McCarron connected on only 16 of 28 pass attempts, a completion percentage of 57.1, which was his second-lowest of the season. He finished with just under 200 yards passing and one interception as well, resulting in a 109.7 quarterback rating, his third-lowest of the season.

The 28 attempts were the third-most for McCarron this season, and that tells the tale of how well LSU defended star running back Trent Richardson, who accounted for five of McCarron's completions and 80 of his 199 passing yards.

The fact that Richardson was Bama's leading receiver and rusher says more about McCarron than it does about the former Heisman Trophy candidate. 

Although Richardson averaged more than 16 yards per catch against the Tigers the first time around, most of those yards came after the catch following dump off passes from the ultra-suspect McCarron.

Unfortunately for the Tide, even though they do not count on the 6'4" sophomore to carry them to victory week in and week out, his shaky hand will at best produce a couple of turnovers and a few golf clap-worthy, game-manager-like plays. 

As efficient as McCarron can be at times, he presents almost zero threat to LSU's dynamic secondary, which consists of elite playmakers like Tyrann Mathieu and Morris Claiborne. 

Claiborne exposed the sophomore via an interception on a jumped route in the first matchup, and will easily make a fool out of McCarron in LSU vs. Alabama Part II if No. 10 has not learned from his mistakes.

No secondary in the country has been more dominant this season, nor has another secondary made A.J. McCarron look so undeserving of Alabama's starting spot. 

The combination of LSU's talent on defense and McCarron's mundane game will be the ultimate downfall of the No. 2-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in their biggest matchup in two years.