Many fans want offense these days and probably preferred the Kansas State-Oklahoma State affair that featured nearly 100 points between the two teams.
While that was a great game, that game and the LSU-Alabama game delivered one simple message to me.
LSU and Alabama are easily the two best teams in the country, and should LSU win out and Alabama win out, they should battle again in New Orleans in early January.
And yes, if Alabama wins out and finishes the season 11-1, they should get the nod over an undefeated Oklahoma State team, an undefeated Stanford team or an undefeated Boise State team.
What I saw Saturday night in the game was two very even football teams who can hit and play defense.
What I saw in the Oklahoma State-Kansas State game was Oklahoma State allow Collin Klein to run all over them.
Could you seriously say LSU and Alabama would allow Kansas State (or anyone else, really) to score 45 points?
Oregon, who I think has the best offense in the country, was held to just over 300 yards and 27 points by LSU's defense - 14 of which came in garbage time. Alabama held Arkansas to well under their point total and yardage.
Look at this game. LSU and Alabama had both scored well over 30 or 40 points in most games this season. Both teams have great playmakers all over the field offensively.
Against each other? No touchdowns and just 15 combined points.
(By the way, Missouri fans should start freaking out about the prospects of playing LSU and Alabama.
While I think Missouri could survive in some years because the meat of the conference is down, their loss to Baylor going on at the same time as this game should send shivers down the back of Tigers fans. Playing Alabama and LSU is a whole new world compared to playing Oklahoma and Texas, let alone Baylor.
In the SEC, they actually play defense. In the Big 12, defense seems to be illegal.)
The rematch idea may be unpopular in the states of Oklahoma, California and Idaho.
But the point of the BCS is matching up the two best teams in the nation.
To me, the 9-6 "boring game" was all the evidence you need to put LSU and Alabama ahead of everyone else, including undefeated teams.
It was competitive. It was very even. In my mind, the teams with the best defenses are the best. You can score 40 points all you want, but if the other team can score 41, what's the point?
LSU and Alabama are a good 7-10 points better than anyone else in the nation. I truly believe that statement.
Both teams' running games would dominate Oklahoma State, Boise State and Stanford. While all three of those teams have great offenses, SEC teams of the past have routinely embarrassed great offenses in the past.
In a playoff system, these teams would very likely meet in the championship round. A one-loss Alabama team would beat Oklahoma State and Boise State by two or three touchdowns and they would probably beat Stanford.
Naturally, an undefeated Oklahoma State team and an undefeated Stanford team will get the nod over a one-loss Alabama team.
That's a shame, but that's the scenario.
Alabama, even in the loss, remains superior to everyone else in the nation not named LSU.
The rematch should happen if both win out.
