LSU vs. Alabama Rematch: Dear God! No More Defense

I don't know about you guys, but I can't stomach a rerun of that November 5th defensive struggle between the LSU Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2012 BCS National Championship game.

What was touted as the game of the century the first time around instead was a game that managed to make it to overtime without providing a single touchdown. The question is, was that 9-6 snoozefest an odd occurrence, or the predictable result of these two teams facing off?

The SEC homers love to argue that the game was close, it came down to the wire and defensive football is good football. But I don't care. If I wanted to watch a strategically sound game with almost no scoring, I'd watch soccer (no you're right, I still wouldn't).

Does anyone remember anything about the 2001 Orange Bowl/National Championship game? Probably not, unless you live in Norman or Tallahassee. The Oklahoma Sooners beat the Florida State Seminoles 13-2.

If you want to know how boring the game was, just check out how meager the Wikipedia page about it is.

We deserve better from our BCS National Championship. The entire college football season builds to this one game, and it's terribly unfair to us as viewers when it disappoints. That's why I'm imploring the good folks of the Alabama and LSU football programs to find a way to create some fireworks this time around.

Looking at offensive statistics, it seems like they should.

The Chances of Another Touchdown-less Game: Offensive Side

The LSU Tigers scored a touchdown in every other game they played this season. In fact, they scored at least four touchdowns in every other game except for one, the one against the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

The Alabama Crimson Tide averaged 36 points per game this season. They scored at least three touchdowns against every opponent they faced other then LSU.

Moreover, both LSU and Alabama did well against good defenses. Against the next three best scoring defenses they faced this season (which excluding Alabama was Florida, Georgia and Mississippi State) LSU averaged 34 points per game.

Against the next three best scoring defenses they faced this season (which excluding LSU was Penn State, Florida and Mississippi State) Alabama averaged 29 points per game. Both LSU and Alabama rank in the top 16 in the country in scoring offense.

The Chances of Another Touchdown-less Game: Defensive Side

Unfortunately, both teams also boast ridiculously good defenses. They rank first and second in the country in scoring defense and total defense.

LSU kept five of their opponents out of the end zone this season, including Alabama. Alabama only prevented four of their opponents from scoring a touchdown this year, but they held nine of their twelve opponents to 11 points or less.

So it looks like this one could go either way. Both teams scored ample touchdowns throughout the season, but both teams were also extremely successful at preventing teams from reaching their own end zone.

Last time around, the defenses got the upper hand. This time, the situation better be reversed, because if isn't, and the offenses don't get something going the second time around, I don't think I'll be able to stay awake for 60 more minutes.