Ohio State will beat LSU for the National Championship. I'm putting it out there now so there can be no doubt. I've watched LSU play about five or six times this year. They are an incredibly talented team, but are probably less talented then they were last year. Ironically, I had watched Florida play the same amount last year and didn't think they'd be as tough against OSU last year [Urban Meyer out-coached Tressel, so OSU lost]. But I was nervous before last year's game. This year: not so much. I told my friend Alex at the beginning of the year that this would be a great year for LSU, even though they weren't as talented as they had been in the past. The schedule was perfect for them to advance to the National Championship game, with playing their toughest SEC opponents at home. Of course, they blew two games, and could have lost five this year. And if it weren't for both West Virginia and Missouri losing the last weekend of the year, they would've blown it. Fortunately, the strength of their conference made them the media darling and they were the two-loss team of choice.
As for the Buckeyes, people observed a pathetic year in the Big Ten and labeled them "the chief of the losers." True they played a weak non-conference [as the SEC did] but they were in control of every game they played in except one. Still, they were called the "Suckeyes" and left for dead. Even though they're the #1 ranked team, they're underdogs at LSU on the neutral field.
The one constant about college football players is that they buy into the hype; when they hear that they're the best thing since sliced bread, they'll buy in. LSU has heard for over a month how Ohio State is nothing. One LSU player said that they were "without a doubt" much faster than the Buckeyes. The Superdome will be purple and yellow and they think they'll waltz to victory.
But OSU's defense is very solid while the LSU offense can struggle. It will come down to whether or not the Buckeyes can put points on the board. OSU's quarterback is young, but he has a lot of weapons. If Todd Boeckman can keep from turning the ball over, they'll score a plenty.
For a year now the Buckeyes have had to hear about their inadequacies. Monday night is their shot at redemption. The Buckeyes will be National Champs, and Les Miles will wish he had gone to Michigan because he'll take the blame.