BCS Nightmare: What If 'Bama-LSU Winner Loses SEC Title?

As college football nears its regular-season game of the year, some fans are already hypothesizing the possibilities of a rematch between Alabama and LSU. Some fans are already forecasting a matchup between the winner of Saturday's game against Oklahoma State, Stanford, Boise State and others. There are so many interesting possibilities that are fun to stew over this time of the year in college football.

However, one of the lesser known BCS nightmare scenarios is a true conundrum for college football enthusiasts.

What if the winner of the Alabama-LSU game loses the SEC Championship Game? What if Alabama or LSU loses to South Carolina or Georgia in Atlanta?

This would be a true nightmare for the BCS system. The winner of the "game of the year" fails to finish undefeated and win their conference. Chaotic questions would follow.

Who would play for the national championship? What two teams would make it to New Orleans for a chance at the crystal football and immortality?

The answer is one that no expert can clearly state. Much of this crazy scenario depends on the human voters in the Harris Poll and coaches' poll, which account for two-thirds of the BCS rankings.

If no other team finishes undefeated, some might say that the team that loses the SEC title game might play the team they beat on November 5th.

Provided other teams lose, the best chance for an Alabama-LSU rematch involves both teams finishing with a tainted mark on their schedule. The loser on November 5th would have already lost the "game of the year." The loser of the SEC title game (again under this scenario) would have blown a chance at the conference title.

It's the perfect storm, or at least it gives voters a reason to pit these two SEC West rivals against each other once more. The only problem is that the SEC only gets two BCS bids. As Bleacher Report member Jordan Hughes pointed out, the SEC East champ would take a BCS spot preventing a rematch between Alabama and LSU.

Now, this scenario would be all for not if Oklahoma State and Stanford finish unbeaten. They would then play each other for the title. If one of those teams doesn't lose, it would probably get a little more controversial if Boise State had to compare resumes with a one-loss LSU team and a one-loss Alabama team.

The reality is probably that the Alabama-LSU winner will run the table and win the SEC. The scenario painted above is still intriguing and fun to ponder over, nonetheless.