Are You Ready for Some Football?

Saturday night was an unbelievable display of high-ranked teams. Audrey Hart previews the action. 

(Getty Images/Otto Greule Jr.)

By Audrey Hart

Drum roll please! Saturday is the night where it all ends. The college football season can arguably be defined in one night. People having been planning for November 3 since the end of last season—in one day, No. 1 Alabama faces off against No. 5 LSU and No. 17 USC challenges No. 4 Oregon.

Let’s look back to last year, because it will only make this weekend better.

The two current underdogs pulled out the wins in the regular season. The Tigers won the 9-6 defensive struggle of the game between LSU and Alabama, playing even in Tuscaloosa. 

USC beat Oregon by a botched field goal—in an uncharacteristically conservative more by Ducks’ head coach Chip Kelly. Oregon fans still writhe in pain when that field goal is remembered, especially the fact that it gave them their second loss of the season and first home loss in 21 games.

In the post season however, the Tigers obviously choked in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game, and USC was prevented from playing for the Pac-12 Championship against the wounded Ducks.

These games are what each of the four teams has been waiting for. And the landscape is very different from last year.

Alabama and LSU both lost a multitude of players to the NFL. Somehow it hasn’t seemed to affect Alabama at all. They are defensive gods. Not to say that LSU is that far behind. Alabama is ranked first in defense, LSU is ninth. No shame in either of those. More importantly than the players perhaps, coaches Nick Saban and Les Miles still remain. They know defense, and the know how to plug in players to win.

As for offense, you have to look at the Oregon-USC match up for that. USC, also known as Tailback-U, has the best wide receivers in the country in Marquise Lee and Robert Woods. The addition of running back Silas Redd could be a game changer as well. Oregon may have lost running back LaMichael James, and that’s no small loss. He was awesome. But running backs Kenjon Barner and De’Anthony Thomas have more than made up for that. Barner, a veteran player, has come into his own this year and have proven himself more than just a workhorse. When you look at the quarterbacks, you have Matt Barkley. He was the presumed Heisman winner until USC succumbed to Stanford (the one team he has never beat), but he’s still damn good. Redshirt freshman Marcus Mariota has proven himself a budding Heisman candidate and maybe Kelly’s best quarterback to date.

The games are being played in LSU’s Death Valley and USC’s Coliseum. Oregon generally has a pretty good record in the Coliseum. But Death Valley? That provides a huge advantage to the LSU underdogs. It is exactly what the name says it is. Get out alive if you can Alabama.

It seems silly to even mention Alabama loosing, but they have a better chance to lose than Oregon. LSU is good. Defensive end Barkevious Mingo is one of the best defensive players in the country and you know he wants blood. Plus, LSU had a bye week last week. Alabama has been the only thing on their mind the past two weeks and they’re raring to go. Les Miles’ record for night games is 36-1; his record against Saban is 3-3. Anything could happen.

Now just because its not as likely as it seemed a year ago, USC still has a chance for the upset. If they didn’t, this article wouldn’t need to be written. USC has all of the weapons they need to win. That is, if it can figure out its penalty situation. They lead the nation with 10.3 penalties per game and that would give Oregon every advantage that they already don’t need. Arizona scored 39 points against the Trojans last weekend. They scored 0 on Oregon. The biggest thing in USC’s favor is that they’ve done it before. If they can figure out how to contain the Ducks, they might have a chance.

If LSU and USC do it, prepare for riots. Two upsets like that, in one night, there is no way all hell wouldn’t break loose. Oregon and Alabama have been unchallenged during the season so far, if it’s going to happen it better be Saturday.

If that’s not enough, still unbelievable No. 2 Kansas State might meet their match against No. 24 Oklahoma State and No. 3 Notre Dame plays unranked Pittsburgh.

Are you kidding me? Saturday night is loaded. Grab your remote and get ready. You might also want a burning torch on hand. You know, just in case.

(Note from Editors: This story was supposed to run on Saturday morning. We apologize for the delay)