BCS beat down: Alabama pounds LSU in 21-0 win

NEW ORLEANS - In the just over two months since LSU and Alabama last played, Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron improved dramatically.

LSU's quarterback play? Not so much.

McCarron gave Alabama what it didn't have in an overtime loss to LSU on Nov. 5 by passing for 234 yards Monday, and Alabama's defense smothered LSU in a 21-0 win in the BCS National Championship Game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

"The offensive line gave me time and I just put it in there and (the receivers) made plays," McCarron said. "I can't say enough abou that group."

Alabama kicker Jeremy Shelley tied a record for all bowls with five field goals and set an all-bowls record with seven attempts, stats that were all but separated No. 2 Alabama (12-1) from a complete rout of the home-state Tigers.

Trent Richardson scored the first touchdown in an LSU-Alabama game this season with a 34-yard fourth quarter run. Richardson rushed for 96 yards on 20 carries in the game. McCarron, the sophomore who was named the offensive player of the game, completed 23 of 34 passes for Alabama.

The passing game was what Aloabama lacked in LSU's , 9-6 overtime win at Tuscaloosa on Nov. 5, a game where McCarron looked like a sophomore.

Since the end of the regular season, McCarron certainly appeared to have grown up for Alabama. But he still wasn't engineering touchdown drives as an LSU defense that was on the field for 35:26 and for 69 plays managed to keep Alabama out of the endzone much of the night.

The Crimson Tide also played turnover-free offense.

"Give credit to them," LSU defensive back Eric Reid said. "They didn't give us opportunities to create turnovers."

While Alabama was kicking field goals, LSU (13-1) wasn't even close to sniffing points.

LSU managed just five first downs as Jordan Jefferson, who gained the starting job that he never relinquished for LSU in the first Alabama game was completely and utterly ineffective. Jefferson passed for just 55 yards and turned the ball over twice. He completed 11 of 17 passes, but all for short gains, except for one 19-yard pass to Odell Beckham, Jr.

LSU crossed midfield just once and not until the fourth quarter.

Jarrett Lee, the quarterback who lost his starting job to Jefferson Nov. 5, never had a chance to redeem himself Monday, watching the entire game from the sideline.

"We wanted to dominate from start to finish and that's what we did," said Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw, who was named the game's Defensive Player of the Game after recording seven tackles.

Alabama outgained LSU 384-92 as Alabama claimed the Southeastern Conference's sixth straight national championship, the second for Alabama in that stretch. It's also the third national title for Nick Saban, making him the first coach to win three BCS titles.

"I told my players I did not see it coming and it's my fault," LSU coach Les Miles said.

Comments

1) Comment by The_Host - 10/01/2012

Spiderman I don't think anyone at ULL has envy for LSU. They just love seeing the self proclaimed "Flagship" SINK. If you think ULL supports are bad LSU supporters are 10 orders of magnitude worse I assure you. You sound like the one suffering from envy.

2) Comment by Sandy - 10/01/2012

Actually, 13 and 1 is not good enough. The first 13 were only to get you to the last one, which was the only one that mattered. It was humiliating, embarrassing, unacceptable, etc. I am just glad Jefferson is now out of eligibility, so Miles won't have the option of playing him anymore. I am so sick of watching that putrid mess that Miles calls offensive football when No.9 is QB. In the last two games the have set all kinds of records for the worst offensive showings in history. Tiger fans deserve better than what they saw last night.

3) Comment by Huskery1 - 10/01/2012

What an absolute ambarassment for LSU's program. This article's title says it all - a thorough beatdown. LSU's defense kept them in the game for one-half but the offense has to help - at least a little. Try getting a first down every once in a while to at least give your defense a rest. "Coach" Miles certainly didn't have this team ready to play. He was totally outcoached in this game. LSU was absolutely exposed as a one dimensional team that didn't deserve college football's top ranking. Too bad Oklahoma State or Oregon didn't get a shot at the title game - they certainly would have acquitted themselves better than this fraud of an LSU team.

4) Comment by Clem - 10/01/2012

Just to make things interesting. Maybe Coach Miles can ask to play Alabama again and go best of three. Set the game up in two weeks or so. Surely LSU can arrange a new game plan in two weeks and win back the Glass Crystal Football. I'm sure glad the waiting list for tickets is a mile long. Surely, don't want football to end in Baton Rouge especially for the future generations. Coach Miles will soon have the same reputation as Coach McClendon when it comes to winning the real football games. There was no glass crystal on the line when LSU played Bama in the regular season game.

5) Comment by popseal - 10/01/2012

So, that's what hangover football looks like!!!

6) Comment by spiderman - 10/01/2012

P.S. If you don't want to renew your tickets for next season, please don't. The waiting list is a mile long and I'd rather sit next to someone who wants to be there. Better yet, become a Ragin Cajun fan. They hate LSU for no reason other than ignorance and envy. You'll fit right in.

7) Comment by RadicalIndependent - 10/01/2012

I know almost nothing about the details of football, but I've watched enough to be embarrassed tonight. I watched in a stupor not understanding why Mr. Miles did not pull Mr. Jefferson after such a sorry performance. I do acknowledge that we were simply out-played by a superior team but where was the undefeated LSU team we expected? I wish Mr. Jeferson the best and don't know that replacing him would guaratee a win, but we do know thatleaving the team as it was, we were guarateed to loose.

8) Comment by spiderman - 10/01/2012

To all of you cry babies out there: SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!!!! I guess you want Curley Halman back? 13 and 1 still not good enough? We went 13 and 1 with NO quarterback. Yes, I think Lee should have been put in with 6 left in the third just to see if he could do something. Lee won a bunch of games against average teams. (most were over rated) He still won them. Credit where credit is due. You saw what happened when he faced a real defense in Bama. Jefferson did the same tonight. Bama had the best defense tonight, period. Deal with it, get over it. We have good quarterbacks coming up and the defense will be just a s good. Geaux Tigers!

9) Comment by Clem - 10/01/2012

Go Chloedog. If any true LSU fans are happy with Coachless Miles aka Coach of the Year after this D- game on Offense go on enjoying your fantasy world. As one guy said tonight. One positive thing is that LSU won't see the quick feet of Jordan Jefferson anymore in Tiger Stadium. Amen. ROLL TIDE! Congratulations to Coach Nick Saban.

10) Comment by Clem - 10/01/2012

Guys. Its only a game but dam I'm sure glad Bama brought their "A" game on both sides of the field. Why? Because this mauling leveled the playing field for an arrogant Coach of the Year who deserves some of what He received but his unfair treatment of the backup QB showed his true colors. Yeah Jordan is a better athlete than Jarrett but I think this butt kicking is a fair return for how Miles handled the QB situation the second half of this season. Using an old song, " I did it my way" Roll Tide, you guys deserve to be the BCSNC. LSU is the SEC champs. Things are in order!

11) Comment by Dotarian - 10/01/2012

Sorry, I don't buy the "it doesn't matter what QB played because Bama would have shut hem down" argument. Even a high-school JV defense knows that a team that refuses to throw deep is going to run a lot! Well, Bama came in determined to prevent LSU's option run from beating them. Yet, we just kept on trying it again and again and again... What is the definition of insanity? Bama wanted to stop the run, and they did just that. And we NEVER tried to do anything except the one thing the Gumps kept stuffing down our throat every time we tried it. If we had tried ANY attempts downfield then maybe our running game would have opened up, and our offense would have stayed on the field longer, and MAYBE even scored a few points along the way. But that would make too much sense - and common sense seems to be in short supply where Miles and JJ are concerned.

12) Comment by Tigerman66 - 09/01/2012

Chloedog has some anger issues, wouldn't you say. LOL

13) Comment by Elderly Man - 09/01/2012

How could a team that play some of the best football I have ever seen fold during the last game? I don’t know but the team had a great run. Coach Sabin is a genius who prepared better fort this game than during the earlier game. I am impressed by how articulate and mature the young men from Louisiana State University are in the postgame interview. That speaks well of the program.

14) Comment by PacManNC - 09/01/2012

We need to congratulate Bama! They were the better team tonight. At least the SEC still rules. 6 in a row!

15) Comment by PacManNC - 09/01/2012

No fair weather fan here. Did not like the hiring of Miles when it happen and still don't. He has been lucky and it is catching up with him. Jefferson was way over rated his entire career. Maybe Lee was not the answer, who knows why he has not played since Jeffersons return, maybe it will come out now that the season is over with. Something just dont smell right about that entire picture. Tonight proved me right on both points, but still a Tiger fan, just calling like it is, always have, always will!

16) Comment by Chloedog - 09/01/2012

Oh, and one more thing to all you arrogant LSU fans who have been running your mouths for a month about how this game was going to be a joke, how Alabama did not deserve to 'get' to play LSU again, how LSU was going to run them out of the stadium......all of you who had this one already in the books as a win and LSU as national champions, well all I can say is that you got what you deserved.

17) Comment by Chloedog - 09/01/2012

I am not an LSU fan or an Alabama fan, just a college football fan. The bottom line is that LSU got their butts kicked--offensively, defensively, special teams--in every phase of the game. They were lucky to win the first time. If Alabama hit either of those two missed field goals, then Bama wins the first game in regulation. JJ was a joke. Maybe the criminal should have worn a different pair of his 47 pairs of shoes because the ones he was wearing did not work for him. And the 'Honey Badger"--well he got neutered.........

18) Comment by Dotarian - 09/01/2012

Thus sayeth Loony Les:"I did not see it coming - it's my fault....". REALLY??? The entire LSU fanbase saw it coming from the middle of the second quarter!!! How could you - the COACH on the sideline - not see this massive pile dropping on you? I guess the plan was to give JJ the stage (regardless of how he played), let Lee anguish on the sideline, and pray your vaunted defense could pull your roasting chestnuts from the open fire... Well, you got half your wish, "coach". JJ got his 60 minutes of infamy, and you left the defense out to dry. Congratulations-you have now managed to do what I thought was previously impossible: you upstaged the two most stupid coaching blunders in recent college football history: Tennessee with 13 men on the field, and your own clock mismanagement disaster at Ole Miss. Quite a feat, "coach"!!! What's next? Maybe you can bench Mettenberger before the season starts and let Russell Shepard start at QB next year????

19) Comment by GeorgiaBengal - 09/01/2012

Tonight was the first night in my life that I was EMBARRASSED to be an LSU football fan. Jordan Jefferson has been overwhelmed and overmatched his ENTIRE career. Les Miles was overmatched tonight and should be ashamed of himself for coaching so poorly. I have never seen an LSU coach simply give up on a game.

20) Comment by gvm - 09/01/2012

Fair weather fans. If LSU had won tonight and Jefferson had a great game, everybody would be singing his praises. LSU had a great season so take comfort in that - there's always next season.

21) Comment by PacManNC - 09/01/2012

Alabama was the better team tonight. Better COACHED and Better QB. But lets look on the right side **NO MORE Jefferson**, what a joke, a fitting end to his career. Miles and the entire offensive coaching staff ought to be on the same bus with Jefferson on the way out of town!

22) Comment by gvm - 09/01/2012

Face it, Alabama dominated tonight. Doesn't much matter who would've played QB - the outcome was going to be the same. In fact, Alabama beat themselves the first time around.

23) Comment by Dotarian - 09/01/2012

Yep, Tradewinns, I must agree with you. Lee had a few bad series ageist Bama in the first game, got yanked for JJ, and never played another meaningful snap. Miles said that decision is based on what's best for the TEAM. Now we play Bama again for the trophy, JJ stinks up the field with poor decisions and no passing, and dies HE get pulled? Not a chance! "Coach" Miles: where was your concern for the TEAM when you left a completely ineffective Jefferson in for the ENTIRE GAME??? I guess it was more important for the TEAM to take one in the kiester so JJ could have his 60 minutes on the bug stage, right? And poor Lee, who was the MOST EFFICIENT QB in the SEC for nine games gets a "frak you very much for all your hard work" once Miles object of OCD compulsiveness was able to play again.....

24) Comment by LoboBR - 09/01/2012

No, I was wrong they put it back up there.

25) Comment by LoboBR - 09/01/2012

@ABayouBoy - I see it didn't take long for the picture to become a different one. Guess Miles had them pull the shot off the site.

26) Comment by gvm - 09/01/2012

Jefferson is still the best QB; just wasn't his night. The offensive line had a rough go of it too. Oh, well. Roll Tide!!!!

27) Comment by anonomous - 09/01/2012

Sad but Nick Saban and his boys stomped our rears.

28) Comment by Dotarian - 09/01/2012

Also, we can all look forward to another offseason of taunting about the stupidity of our so- called coach. Forget the time management fiasco at Ole Miss; leaving Jefferson in for the whole game makes THAT episode look good! Whatever bonus Miles thought he had coming after this game should go to Chavis instead! His defense did everything you could ask of the for 3.5 quarters.

29) Comment by tradewinns - 09/01/2012

jefferson had a terrible day. after he had a few plays go bad on him, it's not his day. you (the coach) are suppose to be able to recognize it and make a change for the TEAM. football is a TEAM sport. perhaps lee was injured and miles didn't want to hurt his upcoming chance of a draft. but more than likely, miles just missed it. congratulations to ULL on their win. noone has been shut out of a BCS game in history, till now. thanks les.

30) Comment by LoboBR - 09/01/2012

To those of you who still think JJ is better, what do you have to say now? All I have to reply is "I TOLD YOU!!" Les Miles can't, or better yet - WON'T, give a good enough explanation for this mess of a game. I still, and always will, commend Jarrett Lee for all he has accomplished this season along with his great stature through all the controversy. He is still my choice of MVP for this year. He will have a greater chance of getting picked by an NFL team compared to JJ, who on the other hand definitely ruined his chances. I still am proud of the rest of the TEAM for their efforts all season. This game lays on the shoulders of Miles and Jefferson. Better luck next year TIGERS, at least we won't have to deal with JJ anymore.

31) Comment by crocnzeeba - 09/01/2012

It's obvious that gamblers got to JJ. He's a known criminal, and gamblers target the weak. He was probably paid a substantial sum, and the money men got their money's worth. The big bets in Vegas leading up to the game (read: wise guys) were ALL on Bama. Miles' refusal to pull JJ from the game suggests complicity, although the coach doesn't need the money. If the Feds investigate, and they may, Jefferson will be spending many, many years in prison. He isn't a bad QB. He threw the game.

32) Comment by Dotarian - 09/01/2012

Folks, there IS a bright side: Jefferson will NEVER play another down for LSU. Ps: it isn't had to shut out a team when they NEVER attempt a downfield pass.

33) Comment by Tigerman66 - 09/01/2012

Also, I hope the ticket hog big wigs from the TAF enjoyed the game in the Superdome. It's time to dismantle and investigate that organization.

34) Comment by Biglog99 - 09/01/2012

What the heck is wrong with our stupid coach?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!? WHY DIDN'T HE PUT LEE IN??? This has to be the worst coaching and playing in the last few years!

35) Comment by Tigerman66 - 09/01/2012

Oh yes, ULL won it's first bowl game, one no one in the country watches the RL mail delivery bowl, LOL.

36) Comment by Tigerman66 - 09/01/2012

What does Les Miles have against Jarrett Lee? Is he afraid of being politically incorrect by replacing a black player with a white player. Miles is not to bright and not worth the ridiculous salary he is paid. Wish he had gone to Michigan.

37) Comment by ABayouBoy - 09/01/2012

Yep. Picture says it all. Fumble-Bumbler Jefferson. Why Miles didn't put Jarrett Lee in the game is beyond my comprehension.

38) Comment by The_Host - 09/01/2012

The picture says it all. Karma is a $^#%!. Face it LSU made it this far DESPITE Jefferson. My grandmother runs the option better than he does. All I can say is PATHETIC! Oh well I still have to go to work tomorrow and the sun will come up I am sure. At least the State had ULL for a bowl win in the dome.