Alabama-LSU: All about the title implications

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Posted 3:50PM on Friday, November 11, 2005

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) Forget about downplaying the game's magnitude. Alabama's Brodie Croyle is embracing the buildup, the hype and the high stakes. Just another game? The fourth-ranked Crimson Tide's quarterback knows Saturday's visit by No. 5 LSU is way more than that. It's a matchup of two teams nursing Southeastern Conference and national title aspirations and hoping to convince the pundits they're worthy of both. ``It comes down to this game,'' Croyle said, ``winner take all.'' It sure does have that winner-take-all feel even if that's not really the case. More like winner take hope. The Crimson Tide (9-0, 6-0) has edged up to third in the BCS standings, hoping to narrow the considerable separation from Southern California and Texas and secure its NCAA-leading 28th 10-win season. Even with a win, though, Alabama needs either to beat No. 15 Auburn next week or for the Tigers to lose at Georgia Saturday night to lock up the SEC West. LSU (7-1, 4-1) is four spots further back in the standings but could grab control of the West with a victory entering its final two league games. ``I never looked at us as being out of it,'' LSU defensive end Melvin Oliver said. ``Every week something strange happens. There's a lot of football in front of us.'' LSU has not played in a regular-season game featuring two Top 5 teams since 1959. This is the first time two Top 5 teams have squared off at Bryant-Denny Stadium; while Alabama often was in the Top 5, it played most of its big games in Birmingham's Legion Field until recent years. Both teams have had a taste of big games this season. LSU is 3-1 against ranked teams. Alabama is 2-0 and has held No. 12 Florida and then-No. 17 Tennessee to a field goal apiece at Bryant-Denny. The Tigers have won four of the past five meetings with Alabama and are actually slight favorites to keep that dominant stretch going. One big reason for that: Alabama's offense has produced only one touchdown in its last three games, and is now without center JB Closner (broken leg). That leaves Croyle as the lone senior starter on the offense, other than new center Taylor Britt who's never started a college game. The senior QB is not exactly shying away from the pressure to get the offense jumpstarted. ``I'll take it all. Put it on my shoulders,'' he said. ``I've been in the big games and everybody's looking at me to make the big play. That's exactly what I'm planning on doing Saturday. ``When you're a competitor, you want the ball in your hands on the biggest stage in college football, and here it is,'' he said. Bad news for Croyle Co.: LSU has been nearly as stingy as the Tide recently with an eight-quarter streak without allowing a TD and a No. 6 ranking in scoring defense. The Tide tops that, riding a 15-quarter stretch with no TDs allowed and having given up only 19 points in its last five games. No Division I-A team yields fewer points per game (8.2). LSU coach Les Miles figures his team will have to pick its moments to fire away at Alabama's defense with strong-armed quarterback JaMarcus Russell. ``You have to take your shots,'' Miles said. ``You have to make sure that you take the opportunities at big plays. Anytime that you play a team that is as good on defense as Alabama is, there is always that question, At what point in time do you put a back in the pocket, throw a deep one or do you rush one? ``Hopefully, we will mix it up with just the right combination of run and pass.'' Tide defenders are especially wary of tailback Joseph Addai, who safety Charlie Peprah called ``one of the most underrated backs in the SEC, if not the country.'' Addai has had only six carries in the past two games, resting a sore ankle. ``He's a big threat to us, because he can change the game in a heartbeat,'' linebacker DeMeco Ryans said. ``He's a real gamechanger so we really have to be focused on him.'' Alabama counters with Kenneth Darby, the league's No. 2 rusher. Darby was injured in last season's game, sustaining a sports hernia that made him ineffective the last two games. He has more than titles on his mind. ``This is another game I have marked on my calendar at the beginning of the season,'' Darby said. ``I can't wait to play.'' (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)