Alabama vs. LSU Rematch: Odds Are Ugly After Oklahoma State Blows Out Oklahoma

The Bedlam Series is over and it was, indeed, bedlam.  Oklahoma State fans stormed the field as the play clock hit zero.  The Cowboys dismantled the Sooners 44-10, and Alabama's position at No. 2 is anything but secured.  

Up until tonight the argument has been, "Who has the better loss?"  The clear-cut answer is that Alabama has the better loss.  They put the then-and-now No. 1 team in the nation to the ropes, took them to overtime and lost because of four missed field goals.  

The question now, however, is about quality wins.  Alabama has a couple:  Arkansas and Penn State. Every other team Alabama played has been blown away by the opposition.  Sure, they played some ranked teams, but "ranked" only matters to the computers.  Human beings with brains realize that Florida at No. 12 was a mistake. 

Oklahoma State, however, has a lot of quality wins, though some of them are questionable.  What is not questionable is their win over Oklahoma tonight.  44-10.  Yes, the Cowboy's 107th-ranked defense held the vaunted Oklahoma offense and quarterback Landry Jones to a mere 10 points. Their first touchdown was in the fourth quarter.

If I didn't know better I would call the NCAA, because this game looked like it was thrown.  But Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops has been known to choke during big games.  

Oklahoma State will be No. 2 in the computers come Sunday night, of that there is no doubt.  But the computers only account for one-third of the BCS standings.  The rest is up to the Coach's Poll and the Harris poll, both made up of human voters.

Will voters recognize who has a real chance to beat LSU?  That is what the championship is about, right?  It's about the two best teams who could both win it, based on what they proved throughout the season.

Who has proved the most throughout the season?  Oklahoma State running all over everybody but a fired up unranked team, or Alabama running over everyone on down seasons and losing to the No. 1 team in overtime?

In the first—and maybe only—match Alabama played against LSU this season, the Tide dominated the Tigers in every aspect of the game.  They just didn't have a kicker.  

Special teams is the most underrated part of a football team, and many claim that if you have to rely on special teams you don't deserve to win.  Well, LSU used their special teams like a crutch, while Alabama's special teams was a handicap.  

The latest fly in the ointment is LSU's credibility.  They are the best in the nation as a whole team, but their offense has been carried, has it not?

LSU struggled offensively against Georgia (and Alabama) in the SEC Championship, and LSU's offense is unarguably worse than Oklahoma's.  That is the Tide's downfall.  Oklahoma was dominated for 60 minutes by Oklahoma State's defense.  

Many had Alabama at No. 2 because they knew that Oklahoma State's defense didn't stand a chance.  It's a bit of a different story after tonight.

Is Oklahoma State's defense underrated?  Is Alabama overrated?  

There are a lot of questions.  Alabama had fewer chances to prove their worth, and lost in one of those outings.  Oklahoma State had many chances to prove their worth and blew the opposition away, but lost a game to one of the worst, Iowa State. 

The BCS is designed to pit the best two teams against each other for the national title.  One of those is, undoubtedly, LSU.  After Oklahoma State's complete domination of Oklahoma, the No. 2 spot is a little fuzzy.  

Take heart, 'Bama fans.  The voters want a playoff system as much as we all do, and an all-SEC national championship is the best argument, but the Sugar Bowl isn't that bad a place to be.  

We all know that a second round with LSU will result in the Crimson Tide demolishing New Orleans.  

At the very worst, LSU will destroy Oklahoma State in the nation championship, and Alabama will scream, "I told ya so."