BCS Standings 2011: Breaking Down an LSU vs. Boise State Title Game

The No. 1 LSU Tigers are ranked top of the nation going into one of the biggest weeks in the program's history. The LSU-Alabama matchup will be viewed by millions as these two titans clash for head of the SEC West and a possible future berth in the BCS National Championship.

The No. 4 Boise State Broncos, on the other hand, have a pretty simplistic ride from here on out. They are on a basic cycle of "win the conference single-handedly, achieve Top 10 ranking in the BCS, watch as the BCS underrates us and puts us in a lesser bowl than we deserve, and then win the bowl easily". This cycle can only be broken by a huge couple of mistakes by AQ teams that creates the perfect storm over the state of Idaho.

Supposing that Alabama loses the big game, LSU wins out, OU beats OSU, and Oregon defeats Stanford, this might create the ideal situation where Boise State finally gets its shot at the National Championship.

With all of those things happening and the only two remaining undefeated teams (excluding Houston) being Boise and the Bayou Bengals, the BCS would be forced into allowing BSU to play LSU for the title game in New Orleans. As crazy as that might be, it certainly is more than possible.

So how would these two powerhouses match up against one another and who would take the National Title home?

Offense

LSU gains around 370 yards per game, splitting the rushing and passing yards almost equally (189 yards/game on the ground and 183 yards/game in the air). The Tigers put up around 39 points per game, scoring with two different quarterbacks. Overall, they have 37 touchdowns and have only turned the ball over eight times, seven of which were fumbles.

The Broncos, on the other hand, have put up big numbers on offense. QB Kellen Moore leads an extremely potent offense against weak MWC teams which just leads to bloated numbers. That point aside, BSU points up just under 490 yards and 45 points per game. They pass much more than the Tigers, throwing for 305 per game and only rushing for 185 yards. They have scored 42 touchdowns so far this season and have only given up eight turnovers. 

Offensively, Boise State owns the advantage over LSU.

Defense

By the numbers, LSU only allows 11.5 points per game and just over 250 yards per game. They've only given up 116 first downs and have created 13 turnovers, most of which were interceptions. The Tigers have given up a dangerous amount of yards in the air as compared to the ground (175 yards/game passing against 76 yards/game rushing), but against Trent Richardson a strong run defense is exactly what LSU needs. The defensive front is strong, already having 19 sacks this season, one of the highest in the league.

Boise State, however, only allows 16 points and 300 yards per game. They've only allowed 103 first downs and have created 17 turnovers, a majority of which have been interceptions. The Broncos have been pretty much even in giving up yards, giving up 166 in the air per game versus 134 on the ground. LSU would exploit a weak run defense with their powerful RB Ware and Jarrett Lee's great ability to pull off play action passes. The defensive front knows how to penetrate though, making 14 sacks on the year so far.

On the defensive side of the ball, LSU takes the edge over BSU.

Intangibles 

The Tigers have one of the toughest schedules in the nation, playing week-in and week-out against the best of the SEC. Boise State, on the other hand, has only really played Georgia. Other than the Bulldogs, BSU remains relatively barren of ranked opponents. This could be a big problem against such a powerful SEC team like the Tigers.

Conclusion 

The Tigers have the strong arm of their defense and a consistent offense to hold their team together. Boise State is a great team, but lacks depth and strong opponents to compare LSU to when practicing. The Tigers would win this championship on a defensive battle.

LSU 24 Boise State 10