Iron Bowl 2011: Why Bama's Win Shows the Tide Will Be Ready for LSU This Time

This season's Iron Bowl has concluded. Alabama has routed Auburn 42-14 and has likely punched its ticket to this season's national championship game.

The Crimson Tide was led by Heisman hopeful RB Trent Richardson, his 203 yards rushing and an overall balanced effort from the Tide offense.  Alabama imposed its will on the Tigers and slowly choked the life out of the defending national champions.

Alabama's likely opponent will be LSU in the national title game.  The Tide lost a 9-6 decision to the Tigers and will look to do a lot better in the projected rematch for all the marbles—the BCS national championship trophy.

The Tide will be better prepared for the Tigers this time as they have a new-found balance in their offensive attack. They will look to RB Richardson to provide an answer to the always-stalwart Tigers' defense.

Secondly, the Tide will have to control the clock to keep the Tigers' offense off the field, as LSU can be just as opportunistic on offense as the Tide can be.

In the first match-up, neither offense could really get going as there were only field goals scored in the entire game.  The defenses controlled the game; each was dominant against the opposing offense and really turned the contest into a war of attrition.

In the national championship game, both teams must be able to find more of a balance to pull away from the other.

Lastly, with the hard-running of Richardson and the balance of the Tide offense, they should be more than enough to keep pace and edge the Tigers. It should prove to be a good game.