Alabama vs LSU Predictions: Don't Be Surprised When Jordan Jefferson Chokes

With the national championship only hours away from being played, there is a key player that everybody is talking about. His name is Jordan Jefferson, and he is the starting quarterback for the LSU Tigers.

While he does have the running ability to keep the Alabama's defense off balance, he will likely choke in this game.

Here's a few reasons why the senior quarterback that is considered the x-factor will likely play a part in the Tigers' offensive struggles.

Hasn't Had Much Success Throwing the Football

Sure, he's completing a decent 60 percent of his passes, but there's only been two games this year where he threw for over 100 yards. In fact, even last season, there were a total of seven games where he didn't hit the 100-yard mark in passing yards.

Against an Alabama defense that only allows 116 passing yards a game, which is the best in the country, I'll bet that he doesn't have much success in the air tonight.

Defense Has Had a Month to Prepare

If you thought the game earlier between these two teams was a defensive bloodbath, expect worse in this one. These defenses have had over a month to prepare for these offenses and will figure out how to stop that option Jefferson likes to run. They will also get more pressure on Jefferson and force him to throw the ball when he doesn't want to.

Nick Saban is a film rat and won't leave until he makes sure that his team has made the proper adjustments to keep Jefferson in check. Don't be surprised if it's a lot more difficult for No. 9 this time around.

Will the Real Jefferson Please Stand Up?

Jefferson has played very well in the games he's been a part of. For the most part, he's completing a high percentage of his throws, he's running well and he's limiting his mistakes. But that's not the Jefferson that I know. I remember the Jefferson that threw 10 interceptions last season, which was three more than the seven touchdowns he threw. He forces throws into double and triple coverage.

With the way the defense is going to play, patience will be key for Jefferson, and I'm not sure he'll be able to control himself the whole game. Expect him to make a crucial mistake that may cost the Tigers the game.

Randy Chambers is a B/R Featured Columnist that covers College Football and the NFL. You can contact him @Randy_Chambers or [e-mail]