What We Can Expect from Epic LSU-Alabama Rivalry in 2012

The annual contest between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the LSU Tigers has become one of the biggest rivalries in sports over the last few years. That won't change in 2012.

These two football juggernauts will continue to battle. Both will have stellar teams loaded with NFL-caliber talent and coached by two of the best coaches in college football. BCS National Championship implications are just a given now with this matchup.

Here are five things you can count on this rivalry bringing you in the 2012 season.

NFL-Caliber Talent

These two programs are the top two in the top conference in the country right now. Teams like that don't rebuild. They reload.

That's exactly what Alabama and LSU will do. Bama may be losing talented defensive guys like Mark Barron and Dont'a Hightower just as LSU is losing Morris Claiborne.

However, next season there will be replacements in those spots who are just as talented or more so. They may not be as experienced, but talent won't be an issue.

Nick Saban and Les Miles are both excellent recruiters. This matchup will always have elite NFL talent as long as they are the coaches.

Defense Defense and More Defense

For each of these teams, defense comes first. That isn't going to change.

The SEC is all about the defenses, and these two programs are the prototypical defensive programs. Each is focused on that side of the ball above all else.

It's tough luck for those of you who are offensive fans. The offenses won't get any better, but only because the defenses won't get any worse.

National Title on the Line

I fully expect that when these two teams face off in Baton Rouge next season, a potential spot in the BCS National Championship Game will be on the line.

Why not? Between the two of them, these programs have won four BCS championships in the last nine years.

Not being in clear contention is a very bad season for these programs. Next season won't be a bad season for either.

Two Great Coaches

If you had to make a list of the top five coaches in Division I college football right now, could you really keep these two off the list?

Nick Saban has won three titles in the last decade with two schools. No question that he's No. 1 right now. Les Miles has a title, so I suppose you could keep him out of the top 5, but it would still take some work.

My point is that of all the rivalry games out there, this is by far the best coaching matchup. These two coaches are both great, and you can count on them for that in 2012.

Controversy

With two programs like these competing at such elite levels, there will always be plenty of controversy going around. That is the biggest thing a fan can count on from this rivalry.

They'll face off next season, and no matter who wins and loses, the fans of each team will still think that they're team is better. Just like this season, there will be no definitive answer as to who the better team really is.

College football is built on rivalries like this one. The 2012 college football season can't come soon enough!