LSU at Alabama: What's the Best Scenario for Sooner Fans?

With the biggest showdown of the season ready to take place in Tuscaloosa this Saturday between top-ranked Louisiana State and second-ranked Alabama, shrewd Sooner fans will be paying attention to the outcome of this game.

As both teams are currently undefeated and in front of a one-loss Oklahoma squad ranked at No. 6 in the latest BCS standings, the winner of this game has an inside track to the BCS Championship game.

While it is unlikely that the loser of this game would get a rematch with the winner for the title, it is a possibility that cannot be dismissed.

So, what would be the best possible outcome of the 'Bama-LSU matchup that could benefit the Sooners the most as they strive to maintain hopes of making the title game?

The best-case scenario for Stoops' Troops would be a blowout win in dominating fashion by Alabama. The reason this is better than any other option is because of the location of this year's BCS Championship game, New Orleans.

Beating the Crimson Tide will be a tough order no matter the location, but at least it would be in a neutral setting. If Louisiana State makes the title game, they will once again have the home-state advantage over any team they would face.

The next best scenario is a blowout in LSU's favor. However, it's not ideal, as it would almost guarantee that LSU would be effectively playing a home game against their BCS title opponent.

In either case, a dominating victory by one or the other will effectively destroy any argument that could be made for a rematch between these two titans. Outside of the South, nobody will want to see two SEC teams play each other for the national championship.

If it is a close game, the No. 3 option again would be an LSU victory. By beating Alabama on their home field, this would also mitigate sentiment for a rematch, as it could not be said that the winner had the home-field advantage.

The worse-case scenario for any team that may hope to make the championship game with a loss would be an extremely well-played game by both sides, with Alabama pulling out a hard-fought victory at the end.

If this were the case, there may be more sentiment from the rest of the country to see these two play a rematch for the title.

Of course, for the Sooners to have any chance to play for the title, they must win the rest of their games. That includes a victory over a possibly second-ranked Bedlam foe in Oklahoma State at Stillwater to end the regular season.

Before Sooner fans get too excited, they should be aware that Stanford must also lose a game for Oklahoma to make the BCS title game. An undefeated Pac-12 champion, led by the likely Heisman winner in Andrew Luck, will not be jumped by any contender with a loss.

What about Boise State? Sorry, Bronco fans, but the strength of schedule of a one-loss Oklahoma squad that started the season as the top-ranked team will be enough to elevate them over an undefeated but relatively untested team whose best victory was in the first week of the season.