The stage is set for the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) National Championship game.  The game will be a rematch between the one loss Alabama Crimson Tide and the only team that beat them during the year in the Undefeated Louisiana State University (LSU) Tigers.  LSU will win this game because they have a more balanced offense and better special teams, they have defeated more quality opponents, and they won the first game when these teams faced each other.

LSU and Alabama both have tremendous defenses and are definitely two of the best in the country.  I believe that since both teams are so great on defense, they pretty much cancel each other out.  Therefore I am going to compare each team's offense and special teams.

Alabama has arguably the best running back in the country in Heisman hopeful Trent Richardson.  He is an outstanding running back, but is he their only option?  I believe he is.  Alabama's quarterback AJ McCarron has been less than stellar on the year, and their receivers have not been that great either.  Alabama also has not been that great on their special teams; especially in the previous Alabama game.

LSU on the other hand has a much better and more balanced offense.  LSU uses what seems like a million running backs and will sometimes utilize two quarterbacks.  Since LSU has so many more options on offense, I believe that their offense is better than the offense of Alabama.  I also believe that LSU has better special teams because cornerback Tyrann Mathieu is such a fantastic returner.  His nickname is "The Honey Badger," and he has two special teams' touchdown returns this season.

LSU has played some of the best competition in the country and has defeated them all.  They defeated #3 Oregon in the first game of the season.  In all, eight of their 13 victories were against ranked opponents, including Alabama themselves.  They defeated three teams ranked within the top three in the nation and won the Southeastern Conference Championship.

Alabama only played five ranked teams throughout the year, and LSU was their only opponent ranked below #12.  Therefore Alabama never defeated a team ranked lower than twelve throughout the year.  LSU played a much tougher schedule and was more successful.

The BCS National Championship game will take place in New Orleans, La.  LSU is located in Baton Rouge, La.  The last time these teams faced each other, LSU defeated Alabama in Tuscaloosa (Home game for Alabama).  If Alabama cannot even defeat LSU on their home field, how is it even plausible that they could beat LSU on a "neutral" site?

Alabama has a great team and has had a great team for the past four years.  After this year's game, Alabama will have played in three BCS Bowls, including two national championships. 

Alabama has not been this good for this amount of time since the great Paul "Bear" Bryant won six national championships and eleven bowl victories in the 1960s and 1970s.

Alabama is good and has a good chance to win the National title, but I just don't think they can handle this tremendous LSU team.  I believe the game will be close, but I have to think that LSU is going to win it.