LSU vs. Alabama: Predictions and Picks from the Experts

Did anyone else wake up today and feel like it was Christmas morning? The so-called "game of the century" is finally here. 

The various college football experts have all locked in their picks, but I'm not sure anyone knows what to expect from tonight's game between the SEC's two heavyweights, the LSU Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide.

After all, picking this game is very difficult. Alabama has the home-field advantage, which cannot be overlooked. The Crimson Tide also has the better running back (in Trent Richardson), and arguably a slightly more talented defense.

However, the Tigers are battle-tested, and they have proven that they can win in hostile environments. Tuscaloosa is a tough place to play, but the Tigers have won two games on the road against ranked teams, beating the West Virginia Mountaineers in Morgantown and the Mississippi State Bulldogs in Starkville. They have unbelievable team speed, and they seem to make big plays in big games.

As the kickoff to this game has approached, I have become less sure as to which team has got the upper hand. Just as you would expect, the experts (the prominent writers and analysts of the various sports media outlets across the country) are somewhat split on this one as well. Here are their picks for this week's game between LSU and Alabama.

The Predictions

Stewart Mandel, SI.com: Alabama (27-20)

Andy Staples, SI.com: LSU

Jerry Hinnen, CBSSPORTS.com: Alabama (23-17)

Bruce Feldman, CBSSPORTS.com: Alabama (17-10)

Brett McMurphy, CBSSPORTS.com: LSU (27-24)

Dennis Dodd, CBSSPORTS.com: Alabama

Chip Patterson, CBSSPORTS.com: LSU

Tom Fornelli, CBSSPORTS.com: Alabama

Adam Jacobi, CBSSPORTS.com: Alabama

Mark May, ESPN: Alabama

Dan Hawkins, ESPN: LSU

Mark Schlabach, ESPN: Alabama

Lou Holtz, ESPN: LSU

Pat Forde, ESPN: Alabama

Jesse Palmer, ESPN: LSU

Todd McShay, ESPN: LSU

Matt Millen, ESPN: Alabama

Craig James, ESPN: LSU

David Pollack, ESPN: Alabama

Rod Gilmore, ESPN: Alabama

Urban Meyer, ESPN: Alabama

Stephen A. Smith, ESPN: Alabama

Skip Bayless, ESPN: LSU (20-16)

Chris Low, ESPN (SEC Blogger): Alabama (21-13)

Will Harris, ESPN: Alabama (31-3)

Ryan McGee, ESPN: Alabama

Mike Huguenin, Yahoo! Sports: Alabama

Gerry Ahern, Yahoo! Sports: Alabama

Steven Lassan, AthlonSports.com: Alabama (24-20)

Braden Gall, AthlonSports.com: Alabama

John Tamanaha, NBCSports.com: LSU (19-17)

Erick Smith, USA Today: Alabama (20-17)

Want a larger sample size? Here are the picks from our college football experts at Bleacher Report.