LSU vs Alabama Rematch: Vegas Legitimizes BCS Championship with Opening Line
The debate may rage on until the title game, but the race is already run, and now Las Vegas odds-makers are legitimizing this year's BCS National Championship Game.
Say what you will about the Crimson Tide already having their "shot" to beat the Tigers—these two teams couldn't be separated by four quarters of regulation while Oklahoma State, the No. 3 team, lost to an inferior Iowa State team.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
The fact that Alabama plays in the same division in the same conference as LSU just makes it even more impressive that these two teams are as good as they are.
And Vegas sees that; the opening line, according to Sportsbook.com, is LSU -1.
The Tigers already beat the Crimson Tide by three points, but Alabama left at least 12 points on the field with their four missed field goals. Take away three of those points for Alabama playing at Bryant-Denny Stadium, and we're still talking about six potential points Alabama shanked away.
All in all, none of that really matters because missing field goals is part of football, but make no mistake—Vegas took notice.
They could've opted for a three-point spread, the same margin of victory as Nov. 5, but Vegas is smarter than that, too.
These two teams were separated by three points because they played the entire game evenly. Somebody had to win by more than one point last time because the game went to overtime.
If Oklahoma State was playing LSU the spread would be larger, and Vegas would stand to lose more money.
Instead, Vegas—like everyone else—knows Alabama and LSU are not only the two best teams in the nation but that even a one point separating them is pushing it. They couldn't open with a pick 'em, though.
Not many of us needed any more validation for the BCS National Championship Game this year, but Vegas' opening line finalized it.
These are the two best teams in the nation, and everyone knows it—even Las Vegas.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
