BCS Bowl Preview

The five BCS bowls, which will be played out over the course of eight days, provide fans with what was an expected rematch for the national title in LSU and Alabama. It also provides what could be an awesome display of running (Wisconsin/Oregon) and a quarterback match-up (Andrew Luck vs. Brandon Weeden) that is tough to top. Clemson’s Tajh Boyd and West Virginia’s Geno Smith may have something to say about that. There is also a game between teams (Michigan/Virginia Tech) that rank lower in the BCS standings than a couple teams that some figure were more deserving. No matter how you feel, it should be memorable year for the BCS bowls.

(An estimated $181 million will be distributed by the BCS Group to FBS and FCS member schools.)

Monday, Jan. 2
Rose Bowl: Oregon (11-2) vs. Wisconsin (11-2)

The Badgers hope this visit to Pasadena proves more successful than a year ago when they lost a 21-19 decision to TCU. For Oregon, a Rose Bowl defeat to Ohio State and a BCS championship loss to Auburn is how their last two seasons ended. That makes this a heavyweight match-up between two programs in need of finishing on a winning note. It would seem the winning team will have to out-slug the other because they are combing for 91 points and 982 yards per game….Wisconsin running back Montee Ball has accounted for 228 points on 38 touchdowns to lead the nation in both categories. He also leads the nation with 1,759 yards rushing and will be toting the pigskin against an Oregon run defense that is 43rd (137 yards per game) with only run-heavy Nevada piling up more than 200 yards against them. The Ducks have held four opponents to under 100 yards. The Badgers are much more than a one-trick pony. Russell Wilson, who generated much early-season Heisman support, is second is pass efficiency to only eventual Heisman winner Robert Griffin III. Wilson is also fourth nationally in completion percentage (72.5) while throwing for 2,879 yards and 31 touchdowns with all of 3 interceptions, a figure that is the lowest among the nation’s QBs with at least 250 attempts. Wilson will attempt to connect with, among others, top targets Nick Toon (59 rec., 822 yards, 9 TDs) and Jared Abbrederis (51-814-7) against an Oregon pass defense that ranks 82nd and has yielded 23 touchdown passes in 13 games. Led by Dion Jordan’s 7.5, the Ducks have 43 sacks for an average of 3.3 per game to place third in the country. The pass rush will be a nice test for Wisconsin’s huge and outstanding offensive line…Oregon has plenty of playmakers led by LaMichael James. While Ball leads the nation in rushing yards, James leads in rushing yards per game with a fraction under 150. He also has 19 total touchdowns, 17 on the ground. The Ducks are averaging 296 yards rushing per game, trailing only the four option-oriented offenses of the three major service academies and Georgia Tech. At 46th, the Wisconsin run defense is right behind Oregon, but will have more than James to contend with. Kenjon Barner has 909 yards and 11 TDs and thrilling freshman De’Anthony Thomas is an all-purpose threat (148 yards per game), who is averaging 8.3 per carry. Thomas is also the team’s leading receiver (42-571) and has returned two kicks for scores. Darron Thomas is 14th nationally in pass efficiency thanks in large part to 30 TD passes and only 6 picks. He has also added 3 touchdowns running. Going up against the UW pass defense will not be fun as the Badgers are third in allowing only 155 yards per game through the air. The Badgers boast a pair of linebackers (Chris Borland and Mike Taylor) among the top 20 in total tackles.….While he has had only 18 punt returns, Wisconsin’s Abbrederis is third nationally with an average of 16 yards per return. Hence, between him and the Ducks’ Thomas, special teams might have a say in this one.

Line: Oregon by 6.5
O/U: 72
Pick: Wisconsin 37-31

**

Monday, Jan. 2
Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma State (11-1) vs. Stanford (11-1)

This is the marquee match-up of the bowl season with the leading storyline that of Andrew Luck’s final game. The Stanford quarterback and Heisman runner-up could be the top pick in the NFL draft, which he might have been last year had he not returned to Palo Alto for his senior season. While Stanford is averaging 43.6 points this season in a multi-tight end offense, things did not come as easy down the stretch. After averaging 48.2 points and scoring at least 37 in every game of a 9-0 start, the Cardinal had a combined 89 points in the last three games, which included a 53-30 loss to Oregon on Nov. 12 that ruined any shot of playing for the national title. Luck threw four interceptions in those games after throwing only five in the first nine contests. Still, he enters the game fifth nationally in pass efficiency and having completed exactly 70 percent of his passes, 35 of which have resulted in touchdowns. He will likely be without injured senior receiver Chris Owusu for a fourth straight game and will count on receiver Griff Whalen (team-leading 49 catches and 664 yards) and TE Coby Fleener (10 TDs) as his leading targets. Perhaps one of the more deceiving team stats in the country is that Oklahoma State ranks 102nd against the pass in yards allowed with 266. Of course, they play in a Big 12 that features many exceptional quarterbacks who were going to get their yards no matter which way a game turned. What is not deceiving is the Pokes have picked off 23 passes while allowing only 13 TDs through the air. That is a very large reason why they are eighth nationally in pass efficiency defense. The run defense will be tested by Stanford’s Stepfan Taylor, who has 1,153 yards rushing at 5.6 per carry…..While Luck has earned many headlines this season, so has OSU’s Brandon Weeden. The 28-year-old’s 4,328 yards passing is good for third nationally and he has 34 touchdown passes for an offense that is averaging 49.3 points and 557 yards to rank second and third, respectfully. All-everything receiver Justin Blackmon is second in catches per game (9.8) and has 113 receptions for 1,336 yards. He will give the Stanford secondary many fits as it attempts to keep up. By no means is he the only threat as Tracy Moore and Josh Cooper each have more than 600 yards receiving. The Cardinal pass defense is about middle of the pack, but what stands out is that they have intercepted only six passes. While Weeden, Blackmon, et al, can get it done big time through the air, Joseph Randle has 1,193 yards rushing (6.0 ypc) and 23 touchdowns and Jeremy Smith is averaging 7.2 per carry (645 yards) with 9 TDs. Stanford is very strong against the run allowing only 90 yards per game to rank fifth, though they allowed 232 yards in the loss to Oregon and LaMichael James, who 146….Stanford’s Ty Montgomery (25.2, 1 TD) and Oklahoma State’s Justin Gilbert (25.7, 2 TDs) can make things happen on the kick return units.

Line: Oklahoma State by 3.5
O/U: 75.5
Pick: Oklahoma State 41-33

**

Tuesday, Jan. 3
Sugar Bowl: Michigan (10-2) vs. Virginia Tech (11-2)

This game provides fuel for the anti-BCS movement in that Boise State and Kansas State were ranked higher than Michigan and Virginia Tech, yet neither were invited to cross to the BCS side of the velvet rope. It was certainly head-scratching to learn that the Hokies were headed to the Sugar after being drubbed by Clemson in the ACC title game. Alas, it is what it is and Frank Beamer’s team -- 11-0 against teams not from Clemson, S.C., -- must prepare for what has become a balanced Michigan offense with the emergence of Fitzgerald Toussaint (1,011 yards, 5.8) as a go-to running back. His stepping up could not have come at a better time as quarterback Denard Robinson battled a staph infection among other ills during the season, though he still threw 18 touchdown passes while rushing for 1,163 yards and 16 TDs. After being blistered for 457 yards in a 38-10 loss to Clemson in the championship game, Hokies DC Bud Foster’s and his defense need to dust themselves off. It’s a unit that ranks 13th in total defense (314 yards) and, while Robinson can get out of most any jam, a stout Tech pass rush that has registered 38 sacks will be looking to force the issue……Forcing the issue is something the Michigan defense has done all season. Greg Mattison’s unit ranks 17th in total defense (318 yards) and seventh in scoring defense (17.1), a mere tenth of a point ahead of the Hokies. Much of the focus will be on slowing David Wilson, who makes the Virginia Tech offense go. The junior has 1,627 yards rushing and ranks sixth nationally in yards per game (125) while averaging 6.1 per carry. Until the last Clemson game, in which he had only 11 carries for 32 yards, Wilson’s consistency was remarkable with at least 82 yards in each of the previous 12 contests, including 10 100-yard efforts.  That is the David Wilson Tech badly needs against the Wolverines in order not to put it all on the shoulders of first-year starting QB Logan Thomas. The sophomore has done his share of handy work totaling more than 3,200 yards with 29 touchdowns, but he needs Wilson to find some running room….A big reason for Brady Hoke’s success in his first year in Ann Arbor is discipline, which has translated into the Wolverines being among the nation’s least penalized teams at 36 yards per game.

Line: Michigan by 2
O/U: 51.5
Pick: Michigan 24-17

**

Wednesday, Jan. 4
Orange Bowl: Clemson (10-3) vs. West Virginia (9-3)

Clemson won its first ACC title in 20 years and did so with an offense that has set several school records. Leading the way is quarterback Tajh Boyd, who as a first-year starter has thrown for 3,578 yards (10th nationally) and 31 touchdowns while also rushing for five scores. He has plenty weapons with freshman Sammy Watkins among the nation’s most electrifying players. He has 2,077 all-purpose yards, which is good for fourth in the country. Watkins has 1,153 yards receiving and 683 on kick returns (26.2 avg.) with 12 total TDs. Boyd also has receiver DeAndre Hopkins (62 receptions), whose status was unclear following a car accident, and one of the best tight ends in Dwayne Allen (48 catches, 8 TDs) to target. The Tigers can run, too. Bruce Ellington has 1,052 yards and 10 touchdowns despite missing close to two full games with injuries. He is coming off a 125-yard outing against Virginia Tech in the ACC championship game. It all adds up to an offense that is averaging 441 yards per contest. The Boyd-led attack will be going against a West Virginia defense that is 27th in total defense and allowing 340 yards per game. The Mountaineers hope senior DE Bruce Irvin is in full health after registering 7.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss while missing three games…..WVU quarterback Geno Smith is 22 yards shy of 4,000 and is seventh nationally with an average of 332 yards passing per game. Tavon Austin (89 receptions) and Stedman Bailey (67) are both 1,000-yard receivers with the latter having caught 11 TD passes. Austin is the Mountaineers’ answer to Watkins. The junior is second nationally in all-purpose yards per game (191) and is fifth with an average of 14 yards per punt return. Dustin Garrison emerged as the leading rusher on a team that ranks only 100th on the ground. The freshman has 742 yards with 291 of them against Bowling Green in October. The Tigers are 81st against the run (176 yards) and 37th (203 yards) against the pass.

Line: Clemson by 3.5
O/U: 60.5
Pick: Clemson 34-24

**

Monday, Jan. 9
BCS Championship Game: Alabama (11-1) vs. LSU (13-0)

Following LSU’s 9-6 overtime conquest on Nov. 5, many thought the SEC powers would meet again a little more than two months later. Sure enough, the rematch is on and it will appropriately be played in SEC country. The folks in New Orleans will get a look at the top two defenses in the country, so it might be another field-goal affair. The Crimson Tide is allowing a miniscule 8.8 points per game and LSU 10.5 Alabama also is also No. 1 in total defense allowing a ridiculous 191 yards per contest, which is 61 yards less than the Tigers (252), who are second. Each defense boasts a pair of AP First-Team All-Americans. The Tide had linebacker Dont’a Hightower and safety Mark Barron so honored. Hightower has a team-high 79 tackles (9.5 for loss) and Barron has 61 tackles. Another big-play defender is linebacker Courtney Upshall, who has recorded a team-best 8.5 sacks. The Tigers made history with two corners, Tyrann Mathieu and Morris Claiborne, copping first-team honors. LSU leads the nation in turnover margin (1.7) and Mathieu, a Heisman finalist with six forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and a pair of interceptions, is a major reason why. Speaking of turnovers, Claiborne’s six interceptions are second in the SEC. Do not overlook DE Sam Montgomery, who has a team-leading 9 sacks…..Jordan Jefferson will likely start at quarterback for LSU after taking every snap the last two games. Jarrett Lee started while Jefferson was serving a four-game suspension at the beginning of the season, but his time under center became less and less. Still, it’s nice to have two QBs that know how to win. Jefferson was one of five Tigers to rush for more than 300 yards. LSU, which is averaging 215 rushing yards per game to rank 17th, is lead by Michael Ford’s 755. Keep an eye on Kenny Hilliard who came on strong the last two games with 174 yards and 3 TDs. Rueben Randle emerged as a big-play receiver with an average of 18.1 yards on his 50 receptions…..Heisman finalist and Doak Walker Award winner Trent Richardson led the Alabama offense by rushing for 1,583 yards and 20 TDs. His average of 132 rushing yards per game is fourth nationally. Richardson had 89 yards on 23 carries the first time around against an LSU defense that is allowing only 85 yards per game on the ground to rank third. (Guess who’s No.1?) A.J. McCarron does not receive much notoriety, but he is 20th nationally in pass efficiency. While he has less than 300 attempts, he has completed exactly two-thirds of his passes for 2,400 yards. His 12.2 yards per completion is better than that of Andrew Luck, Kellen Moore and Brandon Weeden, among others. McCarron has 16 TD passes and only 5 picks. His leading target is Marquis Maze, who has 56 receptions……Special teams will play a role, for sure. Mathieu is averaging 16.1 yards per punt return, which is second nationally by not even half a yard, and he has taken two all the way. Claiborne is averaging 26.0 per kick return and Brad Wing is a freshman All-American punter averaging 44.1 per boot. Kicker Drew Alleman, who made all three of his field goal attempts in the first meeting, is 16-of-18 on the season. For Alabama, Maze is 10th nationally with an average of at 12.4 yards per punt return and Jeremy Shelley has made 16-of-20 field goals. Cade Foster, who trots out for longer attempts, was just 2-for-9 and missed a 52-yarder on the Tide’s OT possession in the first meeting.

Line: Even
O/U: 39.5
Pick: LSU 16-13 OT

More bowl previews

The five BCS bowls, which will be played out over the course of eight days, provide fans with what was an expected rematch for the national title in LSU and Alabama. It also provides what could be an awesome display of running (Wisconsin/Oregon) and a quarterback match-up (Andrew Luck vs. Brandon Weeden) that is tough to top. Clemson’s Tajh Boyd and West Virginia’s Geno Smith may have something to say about that. There is also a game between teams (Michigan/Virginia Tech) that rank lower in the BCS standings than a couple teams that some figure were more deserving. No matter how you feel, it should be memorable year for the BCS bowls.

(An estimated $181 million will be distributed by the BCS Group to FBS and FCS member schools.)

Monday, Jan. 2
Rose Bowl: Oregon (11-2) vs. Wisconsin (11-2)

The Badgers hope this visit to Pasadena proves more successful than a year ago when they lost a 21-19 decision to TCU. For Oregon, a Rose Bowl defeat to Ohio State and a BCS championship loss to Auburn is how their last two seasons ended. That makes this a heavyweight match-up between two programs in need of finishing on a winning note. It would seem the winning team will have to out-slug the other because they are combing for 91 points and 982 yards per game….Wisconsin running back Montee Ball has accounted for 228 points on 38 touchdowns to lead the nation in both categories. He also leads the nation with 1,759 yards rushing and will be toting the pigskin against an Oregon run defense that is 43rd (137 yards per game) with only run-heavy Nevada piling up more than 200 yards against them. The Ducks have held four opponents to under 100 yards. The Badgers are much more than a one-trick pony. Russell Wilson, who generated much early-season Heisman support, is second is pass efficiency to only eventual Heisman winner Robert Griffin III. Wilson is also fourth nationally in completion percentage (72.5) while throwing for 2,879 yards and 31 touchdowns with all of 3 interceptions, a figure that is the lowest among the nation’s QBs with at least 250 attempts. Wilson will attempt to connect with, among others, top targets Nick Toon (59 rec., 822 yards, 9 TDs) and Jared Abbrederis (51-814-7) against an Oregon pass defense that ranks 82nd and has yielded 23 touchdown passes in 13 games. Led by Dion Jordan’s 7.5, the Ducks have 43 sacks for an average of 3.3 per game to place third in the country. The pass rush will be a nice test for Wisconsin’s huge and outstanding offensive line…Oregon has plenty of playmakers led by LaMichael James. While Ball leads the nation in rushing yards, James leads in rushing yards per game with a fraction under 150. He also has 19 total touchdowns, 17 on the ground. The Ducks are averaging 296 yards rushing per game, trailing only the four option-oriented offenses of the three major service academies and Georgia Tech. At 46th, the Wisconsin run defense is right behind Oregon, but will have more than James to contend with. Kenjon Barner has 909 yards and 11 TDs and thrilling freshman De’Anthony Thomas is an all-purpose threat (148 yards per game), who is averaging 8.3 per carry. Thomas is also the team’s leading receiver (42-571) and has returned two kicks for scores. Darron Thomas is 14th nationally in pass efficiency thanks in large part to 30 TD passes and only 6 picks. He has also added 3 touchdowns running. Going up against the UW pass defense will not be fun as the Badgers are third in allowing only 155 yards per game through the air. The Badgers boast a pair of linebackers (Chris Borland and Mike Taylor) among the top 20 in total tackles.….While he has had only 18 punt returns, Wisconsin’s Abbrederis is third nationally with an average of 16 yards per return. Hence, between him and the Ducks’ Thomas, special teams might have a say in this one.

Line: Oregon by 6.5
O/U: 72
Pick: Wisconsin 37-31

**

Monday, Jan. 2
Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma State (11-1) vs. Stanford (11-1)

This is the marquee match-up of the bowl season with the leading storyline that of Andrew Luck’s final game. The Stanford quarterback and Heisman runner-up could be the top pick in the NFL draft, which he might have been last year had he not returned to Palo Alto for his senior season. While Stanford is averaging 43.6 points this season in a multi-tight end offense, things did not come as easy down the stretch. After averaging 48.2 points and scoring at least 37 in every game of a 9-0 start, the Cardinal had a combined 89 points in the last three games, which included a 53-30 loss to Oregon on Nov. 12 that ruined any shot of playing for the national title. Luck threw four interceptions in those games after throwing only five in the first nine contests. Still, he enters the game fifth nationally in pass efficiency and having completed exactly 70 percent of his passes, 35 of which have resulted in touchdowns. He will likely be without injured senior receiver Chris Owusu for a fourth straight game and will count on receiver Griff Whalen (team-leading 49 catches and 664 yards) and TE Coby Fleener (10 TDs) as his leading targets. Perhaps one of the more deceiving team stats in the country is that Oklahoma State ranks 102nd against the pass in yards allowed with 266. Of course, they play in a Big 12 that features many exceptional quarterbacks who were going to get their yards no matter which way a game turned. What is not deceiving is the Pokes have picked off 23 passes while allowing only 13 TDs through the air. That is a very large reason why they are eighth nationally in pass efficiency defense. The run defense will be tested by Stanford’s Stepfan Taylor, who has 1,153 yards rushing at 5.6 per carry…..While Luck has earned many headlines this season, so has OSU’s Brandon Weeden. The 28-year-old’s 4,328 yards passing is good for third nationally and he has 34 touchdown passes for an offense that is averaging 49.3 points and 557 yards to rank second and third, respectfully. All-everything receiver Justin Blackmon is second in catches per game (9.8) and has 113 receptions for 1,336 yards. He will give the Stanford secondary many fits as it attempts to keep up. By no means is he the only threat as Tracy Moore and Josh Cooper each have more than 600 yards receiving. The Cardinal pass defense is about middle of the pack, but what stands out is that they have intercepted only six passes. While Weeden, Blackmon, et al, can get it done big time through the air, Joseph Randle has 1,193 yards rushing (6.0 ypc) and 23 touchdowns and Jeremy Smith is averaging 7.2 per carry (645 yards) with 9 TDs. Stanford is very strong against the run allowing only 90 yards per game to rank fifth, though they allowed 232 yards in the loss to Oregon and LaMichael James, who 146….Stanford’s Ty Montgomery (25.2, 1 TD) and Oklahoma State’s Justin Gilbert (25.7, 2 TDs) can make things happen on the kick return units.

Line: Oklahoma State by 3.5
O/U: 75.5
Pick: Oklahoma State 41-33

**

Tuesday, Jan. 3
Sugar Bowl: Michigan (10-2) vs. Virginia Tech (11-2)

This game provides fuel for the anti-BCS movement in that Boise State and Kansas State were ranked higher than Michigan and Virginia Tech, yet neither were invited to cross to the BCS side of the velvet rope. It was certainly head-scratching to learn that the Hokies were headed to the Sugar after being drubbed by Clemson in the ACC title game. Alas, it is what it is and Frank Beamer’s team -- 11-0 against teams not from Clemson, S.C., -- must prepare for what has become a balanced Michigan offense with the emergence of Fitzgerald Toussaint (1,011 yards, 5.8) as a go-to running back. His stepping up could not have come at a better time as quarterback Denard Robinson battled a staph infection among other ills during the season, though he still threw 18 touchdown passes while rushing for 1,163 yards and 16 TDs. After being blistered for 457 yards in a 38-10 loss to Clemson in the championship game, Hokies DC Bud Foster’s and his defense need to dust themselves off. It’s a unit that ranks 13th in total defense (314 yards) and, while Robinson can get out of most any jam, a stout Tech pass rush that has registered 38 sacks will be looking to force the issue……Forcing the issue is something the Michigan defense has done all season. Greg Mattison’s unit ranks 17th in total defense (318 yards) and seventh in scoring defense (17.1), a mere tenth of a point ahead of the Hokies. Much of the focus will be on slowing David Wilson, who makes the Virginia Tech offense go. The junior has 1,627 yards rushing and ranks sixth nationally in yards per game (125) while averaging 6.1 per carry. Until the last Clemson game, in which he had only 11 carries for 32 yards, Wilson’s consistency was remarkable with at least 82 yards in each of the previous 12 contests, including 10 100-yard efforts.  That is the David Wilson Tech badly needs against the Wolverines in order not to put it all on the shoulders of first-year starting QB Logan Thomas. The sophomore has done his share of handy work totaling more than 3,200 yards with 29 touchdowns, but he needs Wilson to find some running room….A big reason for Brady Hoke’s success in his first year in Ann Arbor is discipline, which has translated into the Wolverines being among the nation’s least penalized teams at 36 yards per game.

Line: Michigan by 2
O/U: 51.5
Pick: Michigan 24-17

**

Wednesday, Jan. 4
Orange Bowl: Clemson (10-3) vs. West Virginia (9-3)

Clemson won its first ACC title in 20 years and did so with an offense that has set several school records. Leading the way is quarterback Tajh Boyd, who as a first-year starter has thrown for 3,578 yards (10th nationally) and 31 touchdowns while also rushing for five scores. He has plenty weapons with freshman Sammy Watkins among the nation’s most electrifying players. He has 2,077 all-purpose yards, which is good for fourth in the country. Watkins has 1,153 yards receiving and 683 on kick returns (26.2 avg.) with 12 total TDs. Boyd also has receiver DeAndre Hopkins (62 receptions), whose status was unclear following a car accident, and one of the best tight ends in Dwayne Allen (48 catches, 8 TDs) to target. The Tigers can run, too. Bruce Ellington has 1,052 yards and 10 touchdowns despite missing close to two full games with injuries. He is coming off a 125-yard outing against Virginia Tech in the ACC championship game. It all adds up to an offense that is averaging 441 yards per contest. The Boyd-led attack will be going against a West Virginia defense that is 27th in total defense and allowing 340 yards per game. The Mountaineers hope senior DE Bruce Irvin is in full health after registering 7.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss while missing three games…..WVU quarterback Geno Smith is 22 yards shy of 4,000 and is seventh nationally with an average of 332 yards passing per game. Tavon Austin (89 receptions) and Stedman Bailey (67) are both 1,000-yard receivers with the latter having caught 11 TD passes. Austin is the Mountaineers’ answer to Watkins. The junior is second nationally in all-purpose yards per game (191) and is fifth with an average of 14 yards per punt return. Dustin Garrison emerged as the leading rusher on a team that ranks only 100th on the ground. The freshman has 742 yards with 291 of them against Bowling Green in October. The Tigers are 81st against the run (176 yards) and 37th (203 yards) against the pass.

Line: Clemson by 3.5
O/U: 60.5
Pick: Clemson 34-24

**

Monday, Jan. 9
BCS Championship Game: Alabama (11-1) vs. LSU (13-0)

Following LSU’s 9-6 overtime conquest on Nov. 5, many thought the SEC powers would meet again a little more than two months later. Sure enough, the rematch is on and it will appropriately be played in SEC country. The folks in New Orleans will get a look at the top two defenses in the country, so it might be another field-goal affair. The Crimson Tide is allowing a miniscule 8.8 points per game and LSU 10.5 Alabama also is also No. 1 in total defense allowing a ridiculous 191 yards per contest, which is 61 yards less than the Tigers (252), who are second. Each defense boasts a pair of AP First-Team All-Americans. The Tide had linebacker Dont’a Hightower and safety Mark Barron so honored. Hightower has a team-high 79 tackles (9.5 for loss) and Barron has 61 tackles. Another big-play defender is linebacker Courtney Upshall, who has recorded a team-best 8.5 sacks. The Tigers made history with two corners, Tyrann Mathieu and Morris Claiborne, copping first-team honors. LSU leads the nation in turnover margin (1.7) and Mathieu, a Heisman finalist with six forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and a pair of interceptions, is a major reason why. Speaking of turnovers, Claiborne’s six interceptions are second in the SEC. Do not overlook DE Sam Montgomery, who has a team-leading 9 sacks…..Jordan Jefferson will likely start at quarterback for LSU after taking every snap the last two games. Jarrett Lee started while Jefferson was serving a four-game suspension at the beginning of the season, but his time under center became less and less. Still, it’s nice to have two QBs that know how to win. Jefferson was one of five Tigers to rush for more than 300 yards. LSU, which is averaging 215 rushing yards per game to rank 17th, is lead by Michael Ford’s 755. Keep an eye on Kenny Hilliard who came on strong the last two games with 174 yards and 3 TDs. Rueben Randle emerged as a big-play receiver with an average of 18.1 yards on his 50 receptions…..Heisman finalist and Doak Walker Award winner Trent Richardson led the Alabama offense by rushing for 1,583 yards and 20 TDs. His average of 132 rushing yards per game is fourth nationally. Richardson had 89 yards on 23 carries the first time around against an LSU defense that is allowing only 85 yards per game on the ground to rank third. (Guess who’s No.1?) A.J. McCarron does not receive much notoriety, but he is 20th nationally in pass efficiency. While he has less than 300 attempts, he has completed exactly two-thirds of his passes for 2,400 yards. His 12.2 yards per completion is better than that of Andrew Luck, Kellen Moore and Brandon Weeden, among others. McCarron has 16 TD passes and only 5 picks. His leading target is Marquis Maze, who has 56 receptions……Special teams will play a role, for sure. Mathieu is averaging 16.1 yards per punt return, which is second nationally by not even half a yard, and he has taken two all the way. Claiborne is averaging 26.0 per kick return and Brad Wing is a freshman All-American punter averaging 44.1 per boot. Kicker Drew Alleman, who made all three of his field goal attempts in the first meeting, is 16-of-18 on the season. For Alabama, Maze is 10th nationally with an average of at 12.4 yards per punt return and Jeremy Shelley has made 16-of-20 field goals. Cade Foster, who trots out for longer attempts, was just 2-for-9 and missed a 52-yarder on the Tide’s OT possession in the first meeting.

Line: Even
O/U: 39.5
Pick: LSU 16-13 OT

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