Alabama to the BCS Championship Game: A Guide to the LSU vs. Alabama Rematch

With the announcement now final, fans from Oklahoma State, Stanford and Alabama can quit arguing over who should be where and just play the games.

Though many didn't want to see a rematch of a game that was just played a scant few weeks ago, it was a game that had to be played.

In this slideshow, we'll explore why it was Alabama over the competition, the strengths and weaknesses of both teams, the time, date and payout to the schools as well as predictions of what may happen and the final score.

Please feel free to comment below with you own opinion of the article and what you did or didn't agree with.

When and Where to Watch the Game

The date of the game is Monday, January 9th, 2012, and the game will be held in the New Orleans Superdome with an 8:00 p.m. CDT kickoff in prime time. It will be shown on ESPN, and there'll be lots of pregame coverage.

You can watch the game on your computer with a fast Internet connection on ESPN.com.

The Payout Will Make the SEC Teams Rich

The cash payout is $18 million for each team. That's $36 million rolling into the SEC from just this one game. This will make this year's SEC group receiving the highest dollar total in the history of the entire college football history.

How is the money divided?

It's not what you think—Alabama and LSU won't get to keep their $18 million.

The SEC breaks down the 10 potential bowl games it affiliates itself with and participates it into four categories. Each of which provides the participant with a set lump sum before it divides the rest 13 ways—one for each of the 12 SEC teams, including itself, and one to the league office.

So for the BCS game, for example, Alabama and LSU may get about $2 million each, and then one-thirteenth of the total bowl take for all bowls after each team has taken its allotted cut out of the total.

So let's just use some round numbers and say that SEC bowl teams bring in $44 million, and let's say that after the participants take out $8 million, that leaves $36 million to be split 13 ways or about another $2.75 million per team, whether they made a bowl or not.

So for all their work, Alabama and LSU should pull in almost $5 million in bowl money.

How Alabama Got to the BCS Championship Game

Winning certainly helped, but it also took a lot of help after Alabama's one loss to LSU.

Stanford and Oklahoma State each falling to vastly inferior teams certainly helped also.

In the end, it wasn't so much who beat who and by how much, but who each team lost to that made the difference.

Alabama ended up being the best one-loss team, and the mission of the BCS is to put the consensus No. 1 ranked team against the consensus No. 2 team.

How LSU Got Here

LSU is, simply put, the last man standing—with an undefeated record, that is.

The Tigers have earned their slot in the big game with big wins all season long.

They are the undisputed No. 1 team, at least until the final whistle of the BCS Championship Game blows.

Who Is Alabama's Key Player?

Trent Richardson will be the man that will have to have a big day for Alabama to beat LSU.

Whether it be as a runner or receiver, Richardson must move the chains and keep the scoreboard operator busy adding scores.

Who Is LSU's Key Player?

How goes Jordan Jefferson, so goes LSU. It's just that simple.

If Alabama can frustrate Jefferson and hem him in, they have a very good chance of winning.

If Jefferson gets red hot as a passer, it could be over for Alabama's dreams of winning.

Alabama's Strengths

Alabama's top-three strengths are:

1. Run stopping defense

2. Balanced offense

3. Good defensive secondary

LSU's Strengths

1. Stifling defense

2. Solid special teams play

3. Big-play potential

Alabama's Biggest Weakness

Need we say it? Special teams has plagued Alabama all season.

Not just field-goal kicking, which cost Alabama the game against LSU the first time around, but kickoff and punt coverage has been abysmal at times too.

Could it cost Alabama a win in the rematch?

Only time will tell.

LSU's Biggest Weakness

LSU's offense can be very sluggish at times, and it has an irritating habit of starting slowly.

Against Alabama in the first game, the offense could just never get going and statistically lost almost every offense category to Alabama but the one important stat: scoring.

Predictions of the Game and Final Outcome

For those who think this game will be another 9-6 game, be prepared for a shock.

Both coaches will open it up a bit more, and there will be touchdowns scored and more chances taken by both teams in the types of plays the offenses will try.

Look for Alabama to take an early lead with LSU coming back strong and then Alabama pulling away with the game late.

Final prediction: Alabama 24, LSU 21

(Larry Burton is a syndicated writer whose work appears online and in print. If you'd like to keep up with all his articles, follow him on Twitter and sign up as a fan on his profile page.)