LSU vs. Alabama Rematch: Who Will Have the Single Greatest Impact on the Game?

If you’re looking for a big college football quarterback battle, then you’re in luck, because there are a few BCS bowl games that will offer up some great quarterback matchups. The most notable, of course, is the Fiesta Bowl pairing between Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden and Stanford’s Andrew Luck, but you’ve also got a few other good ones in the Rose Bowl with Wisconsin’s Russell Wilson and Oregon’s Darron Thomas and in the Orange Bowl with Clemson’s Tajh Boyd and West Virginia’s Geno Smith.

One bowl game that certainly won’t be labeled as a quarterback battle, however, is the BCS national championship game between No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama.

No, don't expect to see this game being billed as Jordan Jefferson vs. A.J. McCarron: The Showdown!

The much discussed rematch of the Nov. 5 “Game of the Century” is going to be one of the most debated sports topics of the next month, though, and whether you like the idea of a second showing or not, it doesn’t really matter.

What matters is that the Tigers and the Tide are set to do battle in New Orleans on Jan. 9, and that means it’s time to start breaking down the big title tilt.

There will be no shortage of defensive stars on the field when these two teams meet again, as you’re probably going to see about 20 different future NFL draft picks between these two defensive units.

The defense was the story of the first meeting, when both teams battled to a 6-6 stalemate in regulation, before the Tigers kicked the deciding field goal in overtime, but in the championship meeting, it could be the offenses that end up making the biggest difference in the outcome.

That’s why one of the key players in the game will be LSU QB Jordan Jefferson.

At first, Jefferson was an afterthought after returning from his suspension in Week 5, as he became the forgotten about backup to Jarrett Lee, but when Lee struggled in the first meeting against Alabama, it was Jefferson who came in, stabilized the offense and helped pick up the victory.

Since that performance, LSU coach Les Miles has leaned on Jefferson to guide the team to the promised land, and he’s done just that.

The senior signal-caller certainly hasn’t been great and his passing statistics aren't exactly stellar, but the fact is, he was effective enough in the final five games of the season to get the Tigers to New Orleans, and that's what really counts.

Now, it will be up to Jefferson to step up and rise to the occasion against Alabama's tenacious defense on the big stage once again.

For four years, Jefferson has been waiting for a chance like this to shine, and now he’s finally has the opportunity to step up and make LSU fans proud.

It's been a long, sometimes treacherous road for Jordan Jefferson during his career at LSU, and there have been plenty of bumps along the way. But with one game left, the oft-criticized quarterback now has the opportunity for redemption with his final performance.

Let's see if he can seize the moment.