Hope everyone had an enjoyable winter break, welcome to another term of Toe to Toe. As one can readily imagine, choosing the topic of this week's column did not require any debate whatsoever. This evening, Ohio State and LSU square off in the national championship to round off the most unpredictable college football season of the new millennium.
The matchup on the football field between the two teams alone provides plenty of intrigue. What makes this year's BCS National Championship of particular note, however, are the supplementary storylines surrounding the game. The first of these -- OSU's controversial repeat appearance in the big game after getting trounced by a similarly talented SEC team just one year earlier has mammoth implications for the Big Ten's place in the hierarchy of collegiate football. The Buckeyes' 41-14 drubbing at the hands of Florida last year is still fresh on every skeptic's mind, and rightfully so, considering the embarrassingly lopsided nature of the game.
If there is one thing I am fairly certain of, it is that this year's title game will not be as lopsided as last year's. The Buckeyes will not be entering this year's contest as delusional and ill-equipped as they did last year. Jim Tressel, one of college football's craftiest and most respected game planners, is going to have his troops 100 percent prepared -- from a technical and attitudinal standpoint.
As far as X's and O's go, this year's title game is rife with interesting match-ups. Ohio State's marquee offensive player, Chris "Beanie" Wells, will face arguably the nation's most talented front seven, led by the nation's premier defender, Glenn Dorsey. I envision Wells collecting a solid chunk of yards, perhaps in excess of 100, but I also see him being contained to the point that his running will not be the difference maker for the Buckeyes, as it has been so many times this year. LSU's running game, led by the overachieving and physical Jacob Hester and a backup trio that sports a veritable combination of speed and power, should get to pick up their fair share of yards as well. Similar to my prognosis for OSU's effectiveness on the ground tonight, I could easily imagine this unit being contained throughout the game, especially considering the talent and physical prowess of OSU's run defense. I think the dynamic and versatile nature of the Tiger ground attack gives LSU a better chance of having a big game running the football.
Both teams sport solid, if unspectacular, passing games. Todd Boeckman has been a pleasant surprise at quarterback for OSU, tossing 23 touchdowns this year while developing a healthy rapport with Brian Hartline and Brian Robiskie, the Buckeyes' speedy duo of top receivers.
LSU's air attack is led by the oft-maligned Matt Flynn, a player with plus athleticism that has been plagued by inconsistency throwing the football all season. His backup, Ryan Perriloux, has been used in spot duty as a change of pace, and has acquitted himself suitably. LSU's receiving core has been underproductive this year, especially in light of its across-the-board athletic ability. This lack of production, however, has been at least partially attributable to the injuries that have plagued Early Doucet, LSU's lightning quick No. 1 option. Doucet should be 100 percent for the first time in a while tonight, so I expect the Tigers to be an improved unit through the air tonight.
Making a sound prediction for tonight's game was not an easy task. Given the profound implications for OSU and the Big Ten, I almost pulled the trigger and called the upset for the boys from Columbus. In the end, though, I think the superiority of the SEC wins out. Though the "SEC speed" factor is certainly overblown, I think an LSU team that is completely healthy for the first time in a while and has navigated its way through a brutal SEC slate should be accorded more respect than an OSU team that never had to play anyone ranked higher than No. 23. To be frankneither team playing tonight is the best in college football --- that would be the USC Trojans. Enjoy the game.
