November 6, 2009

Olin Buchanan
Rivals.com College Football

Does it matter that LSU loyalists view Alabama coach Nick Saban like an ex-wife who married an archenemy? And so what if Alabama fans dismiss LSU coach Les Miles as a big-time trash-talker?

The annual LSU-Alabama football grudge match never has been about the coaches, anyway. Right?

Saban, a former LSU coach, became a traitor in Louisiana after he took the coaching job at Alabama three years ago. When he used a derogatory term to describe an LSU fan in January 2007, the gauntlet was thrown down.

Miles offended Crimson Tide fans last season when he spoke of a growing rivalry with Ala-bleeping-bama. Miles urged LSU fans "not to make too much of that game, as it seems like a lot of teams in Louisiana beat that team." He was referencing Alabama's 21-14 upset loss to Louisiana-Monroe in 2007.

So no matter what they claimed, LSU's 41-34 victory over Alabama in '07 and the Crimson Tide's 27-21 overtime victory in last season's rematch were, at least to some extent, about the coaches.

Saturday's clash isn't.

Saban and Miles still are detested by the opposing fan bases, but this season's game has more at stake.

In the two previous meetings, one of the teams had two losses. This time, it's about gaining the advantage in the SEC West race, advancing to challenge Florida in the SEC championship game and possibly playing for a national championship.

"It's truly always been about LSU versus Alabama in my mind," Miles said. "I got a lot going on in my life. I enjoy what I do, who I work with, who I'm fortunate to represent. Even though there may well have been questions centered around that issue, it was never my view."

Saban shares that view, especially this year.

"This game is about the players," he said. "These are two very good teams that have good players on both sides, and there is a lot to talk about in terms of what's going to happen on the field. Our focus needs to be on playing our best football of the year, and that's certainly what we're going to try ... to do."

Alabama hasn't played its best football of late. The Tide have scored 22 or fewer points in each of the past three games and needed two blocked field goals to stave off Tennessee 12-10 in their most recent game. The Tide had scored at least 34 points in each of their first five games.

Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy has struggled in the past three games, passing for just 359 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions.

Crimson Tide guard Mike Johnson said several factors have contributed to the decline in the passing game.

"We've faced better defenses," Johnson said. "There is a lot to be said about SEC defenses that can come in and stop the pass. And we're still pretty young on offense. We've just got to get back to what we planned on doing and make more explosive plays in the air and on the ground."

LSU has offensive issues, too. The Tigers are last in the league and 100th in the nation in total offense. Quarterback Jordan Jefferson has passed for fewer than 200 yards in five games. Running back Charles Scott is the Tigers' leading rusher with just 459 yards.

The Tigers don't figure to have much rushing success against Alabama, which allows just 68.8 rushing yards per game to rank second in the country.

"Our guys will certainly look forward to that challenge," Miles said. "It terms of establishing the run, it's always important in every game with significance. If you don't, you become a one-dimensional team."

The top priority for LSU is making Alabama one-dimensional by containing Tide sophomore running back Mark Ingram, a leading Heisman Trophy contender, who has rushed for 657 yards and four touchdowns in the past four games.

"Mark is a tough guy to bring down," LSU linebacker Perry Riley said. "You have to go get it against him. You must create the contact instead of waiting for it. You have to attack the ball."

The Tigers, 35th in the country in run defense, intend to attack.

"Alabama is a running team and we're a run-stopping team," safety Chad Jones said. "We have to play very physical. We have to get them to the ground on first contact. We must play very violently."

Ingram expects nothing less.

"They're big and fast and strong and physical," he said. "They all get to the ball and they make it hard for offenses to have success. It's going to be a battle out there."

Olin Buchanan is the senior college football writer for Rivals.com. He can be reached at olin@rivals.com.