LSU vs. Alabama Rematch: Is There Any Team That Can Pass Alabama?

When the most recent BCS rankings were released the No. 1 LSU Tigers are looking to take on the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide in the national title game in New Orleans. The Tigers have one more game left on the schedule as they must play the SEC title game this week, while Alabama sits at home and earns an extra week of rest before the title game.

At this point, right, wrong, fair or unfair as it may be, the national title is looking like a rematch. The Tigers of LSU will have one more game that they will have to win and the Tide will be able to gain the prize of losing a game at home that somehow earned them a rematch.

With Alabama being ranked No. 2 in the computers now across the board, there is only one way for the Tide to be bumped from the national title game. The human voters control two/thirds of the calculation that goes into the BCS. LSU is firmly entrenched at No. 1, while the Tide appears to be in the same position in the No. 2 slot.

So does it seem possible for the Tide to be surpassed and knocked from the title game before the final BCS standings are released next week? The only team that looks to be able to do just that would be No. 3 Oklahoma State. The Cowboys face off against No. 10 Oklahoma to finish the season.

The Cowboys only hope would be that they route the Sooners at home and change the voters’ minds and convince them that they deserve a shot at the title game. The human element is the only hope that anyone has to avoid the repeat game in New Orleans.

Alabama has played a tough schedule inside the SEC, but their out of conference schedule has been far less daunting. Will the voters be able to take a look at the quality of game that will be put on the field and pick against anyone but Alabama?

There may be enough of a movement to keep the title game from being all-SEC this season but there has to be a reason for them to shift the Cowboys above the Tide. It is one thing to lose to the best team in the country but losing to Iowa State may have sealed the fate for the Cowboys.

The only other viable candidate to surpass the Tide would be the No. 5 Virginia Tech. Tech still has the ACC championship game to play against No. 20 Clemson this coming Saturday and could earn some stripes with a big victory there. The Hokies have quietly climbed into the top 10, and they are pushing towards a possible national title berth if they can top the Tide.

As unlikely as every scenario seems, there is a possibility that the Tide may not end up in the title game. There may be enough voters that have had enough of the SEC this season. There hasn’t been overwhelming team at this point, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a national effort to avoid a rematch.