BCS Rankings: Tyrann Mathieu's Special Skills Will Help LSU Win BCS Title

As if the LSU Tigers stifling, athletic and play-making defense were not enough, now the most dangerous defensive playmaker, Tyrann Mathieu, is wreaking havoc in the return game.

Mathieu has returned 33 punts this year, but he did not return punts against Alabama in their first matchup. The Honey Badger just has a nose for the football.

Mathieu's ability to make plays on the defensive side of the ball is something I haven't seen since Charles Woodson won the Heisman Trophy at Michigan.

He has 1.5 sacks and two interceptions so far this season. His two huge punt returns shifted the momentum in the SEC title game. The Tigers looked dead after a half, then the 62-yard punt return ignited his team on both sides of the ball.

This will be even more effective in a game like what most expect will happen in the BCS title game. There is no reason to suspect that the rematch with Alabama will be anything other than another defensive struggle.

Games like that genuinely turn on a big special teams play or a forced turnover. Both of those things are a specialty of the Honey Badger.

Will Mathieu be a Heisman candidate next season? A CBS announcer mentioned this possibility during the SEC title game broadcast. It isn't that far-fetched, especially if his special teams workload increases, or LSU uses him sparingly on offense.

That is for next year. This year, Mathieu's special talents help lead the Tigers past the Tide in the rematch.