LSU Football: Why the Chick-Fil-A Bowl Is Important for Les Miles

Obviously, winning any postseason bowl game is important for any college football coach.

But for as good as he has been in his time at LSU, somehow, some way, LSU football coach Les Miles still has his doubters.

The Tigers were the top team in the country throughout the entire season last year, and then, after an ugly shutout loss against Alabama in the BCS title game, those "haters" began chirping in on Miles and his lack of proper preparation for that game.

This season, the Tigers went 10-2, a pretty darn good record for most programs. The team's two loses came against SEC foes Florida and Alabama, both of which are playing in BCS bowl games this January, with the Tide squaring off against Notre Dame in the BCS National Championship Game.

Yet despite that solid 10-2 mark, the Tigers took a free-fall down the bowl pairing and got matched up against a good 10-2 Clemson team in the Chick-Fil-A-Bowl.

Anyone who follows college football knows very well that the SEC is the filet mignon of college football, and the ACC, which Clemson plays in, is the equivalent of cafeteria flank steak.

That is why this game is that much more important for Miles and his LSU football team.

Clemson may play in an average to below-average conference, but make no mistake about it, this is a talented football team with several future NFL players on the roster.

Miles needs to make sure his team prepares properly for this game, just as he would any other game, because a big win against a good Clemson team would then possibly silence all those Miles doubters—at least for the time being.

Clemson has an electric offense and LSU has a dominant defense, which points to this being a great football game, and one that Miles needs to add to his belt of solid wins for this LSU football program.

If the old saying of "defense wins championships" holds true in this contest, then Miles and the Tigers should be all good.