BCS Lotto; Teams line up for shot at LSU

Most college football analysts speculate that LSU will play in the BCS National Championship game even with a loss Saturday against Georgia in the SEC Championship game.

Don’t tell that to the Tigers’ coaches or players. They want to win ‘em all.

With another showdown with a highly ranked team looming, this time against Eastern Division Champion Georgia, the only thing on LSU’s mind is victory in the form of an SEC Championship.

Kickoff for the game is at 3 p.m. and will be broadcast on CBS.

Miles expects fans tuning in to see a team starved to earn another victory.

“I just want you to know something,” a mildly agitated LSU coach Les Miles spat when asked about being able to lose to Georgia. “There would be no way that this team could come to Atlanta and not play their best. Just so you know.”

The only thing the college football world “knows” right now is that the Tigers are the undisputed No. 1 team in the land.

That mark was retained for yet another week as the Tigers routed then-No. 3 Arkansas 41-17 before the second-largest crowd to ever see a game in Tiger Stadium Friday afternoon.

LSU faced its largest deficit of the season in the game and trailed 14-0 late in the opening half.

But amidst adversity the Tigers delivered a knockout punch, multiple knockout punches, scoring 21 points in the final five minutes of the first half to take a 21-14 halftime lead.

With momentum in hand, the onslaught of haymakers continued in the second half and the game quickly turned into a rout.

“This football team, down 14 points, did not flinch,” Miles said. “There was never a question in anyone’s minds on that sideline that we were going to respond. I think this team is a very special team. They have quality leadership. They are a team that plays from behind, from ahead and in big games. We’re 12-0, certainly this team deserves it.”

With the win, LSU now owns three wins against Top-3 teams this season.

With that sparkling resume and the aforementioned, glistening 12-0 record, some say the Tigers have already punched their ticket to New Orleans for Jan. 9.

If it is indeed safe to assume LSU is the front runner to get one spot in New Orleans, the attention must then shift to who’d line up against the Tigers.

The No. 2 team in the country right now is a familiar foe. Alabama.

The Crimson Tide have dominated their way to a 11-1 record with efficient offense and overwhelming defense.

But the obvious stain on their resume is a November 9-6 home overtime loss to LSU.

Most people concede the Tide are the second-best team in America. But will voters be willing to place a team into the BCS National Championship game that isn’t even a division winner of its own conference and also has a head-to-head loss against the opponent they’d be playing?

That remains to be seen.

Alabama coach Nick Saban played the “overtime” card following the Tide’s win Saturday against Auburn, saying he believes his team deserves another chance.

“Everybody’s got to make their choices and decisions about [the BCS],” Saban told reporters following the game. “But I think we’ve got a great football team and a great bunch of young men who have done a wonderful job and played some really dominant football on both sides of the ball.”

If LSU does indeed own a spot in the big game and voters opt against an Alabama rematch, Oklahoma State appears to be the next most logical fit.

Like Alabama, the Cowboys have just one loss on the season.

But unlike Alabama, Oklahoma State has an opportunity to sway voters Saturday when they take on Oklahoma.

With a decisive win, the Cowboys could possibly avenge its one loss and convince enough human voters to give them a leg up over the Tide.

The Cowboys are already the No. 2 team in America in most computer polls because they’ve played a statistically more difficult schedule than Alabama, having posted seven wins against programs with .500 records or better.

But what could hurt Oklahoma State is that their loss came to Iowa State, who is nowhere near the top tier of college football.

Cowboys quarterback Brandon Weeden told the team’s official website following that loss that the team believes Oklahoma State’s window of opportunity is still wide open.

“Here’s the deal: All the goals we set at the beginning of the year are still there,” Weeden told the website. “We still have a chance to win and be conference champions. We still have a chance to go play in a BCS bowl game. It’s there for the taking for us. We’ve just got to learn from [the loss].”

If Oklahoma State loses to Oklahoma, outsiders like Virginia Tech and Stanford could also potentially creep into the mix.

The Hokies play Clemson (the team that handed them their only defeat) this weekend in the ACC Championship Game.

The Cardinal did not qualify for the Pac-12 Championship Game thanks to a head-to-head loss with Oregon and would be hard pressed to jump the Hokies should they defeat Clemson.

Also in the mix is Houston who is the nation’s only other unbeaten. The Cougars have their last opportunity to impress voters Saturday against Southern Mississippi in the Conference USA Championship Game.

So one half of the formula is seemingly in place; although written in pencil.

But don’t tell that to the Tigers. Their minds are on one thing right now. Winning the SEC Championship.

“At this point, we’re just trying to win the next game,” LSU sophomore defensive back Tyrann Mathieu said. “And that is against Georgia.”

Win that game and all of the speculation will end , their name would no longer be written in pencil, it would be etched in permanent ink.

Then the one month party in New Orleans would officially be under way.

LSU senior quarterback Jordan Jefferson rolls out for a pass during a game last season. Jefferson helped lead the Tigers to a 12-0 record. Now, teams are lining up to attempt to dethrone LSU in the BCS National Championship Game. STEVE FRANZ