LSU vs. Alabama: Nick Saban vs. Les Miles Highlights Elite Matchup

Alabama vs. LSU has a lot of story lines heading into this game. There are the stories of No. 1 vs. No. 2, Alabama’s running back Trent Richardson vs. the LSU defense, Nick Saban vs. Les Miles and Les Miles and eating grass. 

Wait, what, Les Miles eats grass?  

Yes, a small side story that is coming from a game deep intrenched with history and angles, has stories coming out about Les Miles saying that the “Grass at Tiger Stadium tastes best.” 

That last quote will not make a lot of bulletin boards on the locker room’s of Alabama and LSU, but with the fanbases, it will give a lot of fuel to whatever chants and signs that will be made for the game and for ESPN GameDay. 

The Miles vs. Saban lines run very deep in this game. Saban and Miles both led LSU to National Titles and SEC Championships. Both coaches, at one time, were idolized in Baton Rouge by the LSU Tigers fanbase.  

Once Saban left the Tigers’ program for the Miami Dolphins, after he said that he was not going to leave for the NFL, the fanbase turned from the love-fest that they once had for the coach, into a full on hatred.  

In SI.com’s Stewart Mandel’s College Football Mailbag, he was asked why the Tigers’ fanbase hates Saban so much. His response: “My (condensed) answer: Hatred, at its core, is rooted in fear. LSU fans hate Saban for taking the Alabama job because deep down, they fear the potential implications for their program. ... LSU faithful would never have become angry at Saban to begin with if there wasn't a legitimate reason to fear him.” 

With the departure of Saban, in came Les Miles, who was a complete opposite of Saban in character, but has been as successful as Saban was, as the leader of the team.  

In the first game between the coaches, in the ’07 season, it was dubbed the “Saban Bowl” as the two teams met in Alabama, with Miles winning the first game 41-34.  

It was the second meeting between the two coaches, that was the most heated, as Saban made his first return to Baton Rouge, to face the LSU fans. The game provided a hostile environment that had extra police and security provided for the Alabama team, to the game, during the game and leaving the game.  

‘Bama won the game in thrilling fashion, 27-21 in overtime.  

There have been two more games between two of the best coaches in the NCAA, with each team splitting the two, as Alabama won in ’09 and LSU winning in ’10.  

Each of the four times these two teams have met, both teams were ranked in the Top 20 of the polls, with one of the team’s being ranked in the Top 5.  

The coaches do not have a hate for each other, like Bo Schembechler (Michigan) and Woddy Hayes (Ohio State), but their fans hate each other and will defend their respected head coach till their face turns Crimson Red or Purple and Gold.  

It will make for great television and for a great chess match between these coaches. As one coach will have a game plan that is very detailed, in Saban, while the other coach plays it loose and wild, in Miles. 

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