The Nick Saban Bowl--LSU vs Alabama in Tuscaloosa

By Jay Holgate

secsportsreport.com


ATLANTA,GA--It is too early to be talking about November football games. But there is so much energy about the 2007 SEC football season that we just can't help ourselves but to let you in on the Biggest Game.

We are giving you full, advance notice of the biggest SEC game for 2007. Mark November 3rd on your calendar, there will be no bigger game in all of college football for 2007. The media will hype this game to an all-time new level.

The Game--The Saban Bowl. Former LSU Great Coach Nick Saban will play host in Tuscoloosa Alabama to current LSU coach Les Miles. When Nick Saban was at LSU, he beat Alabama 4 out of 5 times. No wonder Alabama fans wanted him so badly as their head coach. For this game, the Crimson Tide believe they have the coach who will lead them to victory.

For Les Miles, there can be no bigger game. The Alabama game is his time to prove he is the superior coach of the two. LSU alumni would love to see Miles win and win big. Not only did LSU have the #1 draft pick but LSU sent a record four players to the NFL in the first round. Out of all the colleges in the United States, 1 out every 8 players in the first round was an LSU football player. A total of 13 LSU players signed professional contracts. That is amazing.

LSU Has Re-Loaded--Apparantly, LSU has re-loaded with talent. All the major sports magazines consistently put LSU at the top of the SEC West. With a defense lead by Glenn Dorsey and a front seven that is supposed to be the strongest group ever in Tiger town. LSU has a favorable road schedule and they get their toughest opponents (Florida, Spurrier's Gamecocks, Auburn, Arkansas) under the lights in Tiger Stadium.

The one negative for LSU in our opinion going into this game, is that one of the few athletes left over from Saban's days happens to be starting quarterback Matt Flynn. You can bet your bottom dollar Saban is going to use every angle he knows to get into his former recruit's head. And 92,000 screaming Tide fans will help increase the pressure for the athlete from Tyler, Texas.

Saban Always Plays to Win--And then there is national championship coach, Nick Saban. Highest paid coach in the SEC and worth even more. Left Miami with the job unfinished but with a hope of returning Alabama football to its glory days. Took over an Alabama team that hadn't met potential and couldn't beat Auburn. Saban has to win to prove he is the best coach in college football. By all accounts, Saban is making Alabama better. Saban has raised the bar, and focused the team on playing better, more physical football.

This LSU-Alabama game is going to be huge. As always, the world will completely change over the next six months so we will call this game, two days before kick-off.

Jay Holgate is a staff writer for the SEC Sports Report.