LSU Football: Will a Win This Year Take Les Miles out of Nick Saban's Shadow?

Larry Burton (Syndicated Writer) At a quick glance, by an outsider who knew nothing about either coach or either team and only looked at the records, Les Miles and Nick Saban would have very similar records.

The head-to-head match up would bear that out too, as the series record between the two coaches sits at two each since Saban left the NFL to come back to college football and the University of Alabama.

Each has a powerhouse team this year, each has had great recruiting classes for several years and each has won at least one national title, but in fairness, Saban has won two.

Except for fans of LSU however, Miles is still clearly in Saban's shadow.

Whether that perception is true or not, whether you personally believe it or not, whether you think it's fair or not, it is the truth on the national stage.

There is still much debate over Miles national championship for example.

The large majority of fans have the perception that Miles inherited a Ferrari from Saban and simply had to put in on cruise control to earn his national championship.

Again, that may not be the case, you may not believe that is the case and it may not be fair to even make that into a valid argument. But there is no debate over that being the overwhelming national perception.

There are those who say that LSU has been a great team since Saban made it that way and that is a fair and true statement.

But there are no Saban players left at LSU, zero, zilch, nada. This is a Les Miles team with Les Miles recruits running a Les Miles offense and defensive philosophy.

This team is great, but it is great because of what Les Miles has done.

With the two teams clearly being the two best teams in country, each team filled with the players, character and identity of each head coach, now is the time to settle the debate over who deserves to be ranked above the other.

This is Les Miles' chance to step completely out of Nick Saban's shadow. This is the time for Les Miles to show that he is the greatest coach in recent history at LSU.

Now there can be no debate, no excuses, no alibis and no fabrication allowed in the perception. 

If Les Miles guides the LSU Tigers over Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide in just less than two weeks, Les Miles will have a winning record over Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide at a time when Alabama was just as prepared as LSU in those seasons.

If Miles guides his LSU team to another national title this year, then he becomes the unquestioned standard by which LSU greatness in the coaching ranks will be measured by.

But, and this is also without question, excuses or alibis, should Miles lose, then he is unquestionably not Saban's better. He is not the greatest coach that LSU has ever had on the sidelines and he will sink back deeper into Nick Saban's shadow than when the season started.

This game is not just about deciding which team the SEC West will send to the SEC Championship Game. This game is not just about deciding which of these two teams will more than likely play for another national championship.

This is a game that validate which coach or the other is the best to have walked the sidelines in Baton Rouge.

May the best man win.