LSU vs Alabama: The 5 Best Individual Matchups to Watch

It's coming people. We're now just one week away from the so-called "game of the century" between No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama. While I usually avoid such hyperbole, for this game I make an exception. I've never been so certain that two teams were the best that college football had to offer.

With a number of potential first-round draft picks on both sides, and two coaches who have each won BCS Championships in the last four years facing off, this really can (and should) be viewed as a 2012 BCS Title semifinal.

That said, here are the five best matchups in this battle of college football titans.

Alabama Receiver Marquis Maze vs LSU Cornerbacks

Alabama Crimson Tide receiver Marquis Maze is one of the best athletes in the country, and he will be facing two of the best cornerbacks in college football.

Maze has 39 catches for 482 yards and a touchdown on the season. LSU has two potential high draft picks at corner with Tyrann Mathieu and Morris Claiborne. Mathieu has two interceptions on the season, while Claiborne has three.

The face-off between Maze and Mathieu will not be limited to the receiving game, as they are two of the most electrifying punt returners in the nation as well. I'd be willing to bet that at least one (if not both) of them end up the end zone before it's all said and done.

LSU Receiver Rueben Randle vs Alabama Secondary

There's an equally intriguing matchup on the opposite side for both teams. The LSU Tigers have one of the best receivers in the country in Rueben Randle. Randle has 33 catches for 638 yards and seven touchdowns on the season.

The Alabama Crimson Tide have a number of talented defensive backs, as their passing defense ranks third in the country in yards allowed. Safety Mark Barron is a possible first-round draft pick, and Alabama has arguably the best cornerback duo in the country with Robert Lester and Dre Kirkpatrick.

The matchups on the outside are perhaps the best in this marquee meeting, and they will go a long way in determining how the quarterbacks for both teams fare next Saturday.

Alabama Quarterback AJ McCarron vs LSU's Big Play Defense

The reason the LSU Tigers were able to win games against the Oregon Ducks and West Virginia Mountaineers earlier in the season despite being outgained in both games is big plays from their defense.

The LSU defense forced four turnovers from both teams, while only having one themselves against Oregon and none against West Virginia. LSU ranks second in the country in turnover margin.

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback AJ McCarron hasn't made many mistakes this year, with only three interceptions all season. But the ball-hawking Tiger defense always seems to find a way to force bad decisions.

McCarron must avoid making costly mistakes, while also finding a way to traverse the LSU defense (which ranks 3rd in the country in total and scoring defense, despite the tough schedule) if the Crimson Tide are going to win this game. McCarron has not played in a game of this magnitude yet. He will need to show a lot of poise to lead his team to victory.

LSU Quarterback Jarrett Lee vs Alabama Linebacker Courtney Upshaw

LSU quarterback Jarrett Lee has been impressive in leading the Tigers to an 8-0 start this season. But he hasn't yet faced a defense or a pass rush anywhere near the likes of what he'll see from the Alabama Crimson Tide.

I want to see how Lee will handle the immense pressure he will likely face from the Crimson Tide, and namely their future NFL linebacker Courtney Upshaw. Upshaw has 4.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss (which ranks eighth in the nation) on the season. In other words, he gets in the backfield early and often.

Lee has a completion percentage of 62 percent and 13 touchdowns to just one interception this year. But historically he hasn't handled pressure well, and was not much of a factor in the Tigers big opening game against the Oregon Ducks. He needs to show up big in this game if LSU is going to win.

Alabama Coach Nick Saban Against LSU Coach Les Miles

Despite all the intriguing matchups on the field, I'm just as excited to see the chess match on the sidelines that will ensue between two of the most successful college football coaches of the last decade in Nick Saban and Les Miles.

One of these guys has won the BCS National Championship three of the last eight years. If that weren't enough, there's of course the fact that Saban won his first title at...LSU.

Saban is arguably the best college football coach in the country right now, considering the success he's had at every school he's been at. And no coach loves big games more than the "Mad Hatter."

This really could be the game of the century.