TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama Crimson Tide will face the LSU Tigers in the 2012 BCS National Championship Game on Monday, January 9, 2012, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La. The game will be televised by ESPN and will kick off at 7:30 p.m. (CST).
Alabama coach Nick Saban has the Crimson Tide set to play for its second national championship in three seasons. (AP Photo|Austin McAfee)
Alabama (11-1 overall and 7-1 in the Southeastern Conference) and LSU (13-0 overall; 8-0 in the SEC) met earlier this season, on November 5 in Tuscaloosa, with the Tigers taking a 9-6 verdict over the Crimson Tide in a game that needed an overtime period to decide a victor. Both teams are making their second appearance in the BCS National Championship Game. Alabama defeated Texas, 37-21, in the 2010 contest while LSU was a 38-24 winner over Ohio State in the 2008 game also played in New Orleans.
“Our players and everyone associated with our program are very excited about the opportunity to play in the national championship game,” said Alabama head coach Nick Saban. “We are very appreciative of the chance to play an LSU team that we have tremendous respect for and we are looking forward to the challenge.”
“All season long, we have had the mindset that we wanted to get in position to accomplish the ultimate goal and now we get the opportunity to do that,” said linebacker Dont’a Hightower. “We will take the utmost pride in getting this opportunity.”
“We’re really excited to get another opportunity to play in the national championship,” said offensive lineman Barrett Jones. “We have a big month ahead of us to get prepared for that game and we have a lot of hard work ahead of us.”
The Crimson Tide is making its fourth BCS Bowl appearance and third in the last four seasons under Saban. The Crimson Tide also played in the 2009 Sugar Bowl (2008 season – a 31-17 loss to Utah) and the 2010 BCS National Championship Game (2009 season – a 37-21 victory over Texas). Alabama also appeared in the 2000 Orange Bowl (a 35-34 loss to Michigan in overtime).
The matchup with SEC rival LSU marks the second time in Alabama history that the Crimson Tide will face a team currently playing in the same conference. The only other time that has happened was following the 1963 season when Alabama took a 12-7 win over Mississippi in the 1964 Sugar Bowl. However, that game was not a rematch of a regular season game as the Crimson Tide and Rebels did not meet during the 1963 regular season.
Alabama will be playing a post-season game at the Superdome in New Orleans for the eighth time in school history, boasting a 5-2 record in those games with the only appearance of the BCS era being the 2009 loss to Utah in the 2009 Sugar Bowl.
Alabama has played in more bowl games (59, not counting one vacated appearance) and earned more bowl wins (32) than any school in college football history. The Crimson Tide has posted a 32-22-3 all-time bowl record. The Crimson Tide is making its fifth consecutive bowl appearance under head coach Nick Saban and the eighth straight for the school. Saban is 3-1 in bowl games at Alabama, defeating Michigan State in the 2011 Capital One Bowl, defeating Texas in the 2010 BCS National Championship Game and knocking off Colorado in the 2007 Independence Bowl. The Tide’s bowl loss under Saban came in the 2009 Sugar Bowl against Utah.
Release Courtesy UA Athletics
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Smith Lake Jake, the hat wearing Groundhog from Alabama, predicts Alabama will beat LSU, and become N
The computer clicked me off before I could finish. Smith Lake Jake says, Alabama will be the next NATIONAL CHAMPIONS beating LSU.. Smith Lake Jake has always predicted right, when it comes to Alabama and Alburn . If Smith Lake Jake isn’t right on, this one it will be a first.
I THINK ALABAMA WILL BEAT LSU, BECAUSE THAY ALMOST BEAT THEM THE LAST TIME,AND LSU ONLY BEAT THEM IN OVER TIME WITH FIELD GOLES. LSU HAS TO STRUGGLE HARD TO GET PAST ALABAMA. NO OTHER TEAM HAS HEALD LSU LIKE ALABAMA DID. So I say ROLLTIDE will roll over LSU this time out.
We have to side with that Groundhog from Alabama ( Smith Lake Jake), We believe Alabama will take LSU this go round, and take the National Champion title.
Smith Lake Jake predicted back in oct 2011 that Alabama would beat LSU and be National Champions. Smith Lake Jake sent me a birthday prediction saying, Alabama would have a replay with LSU and beat LSU, and become national champions. He also predicted the cold and hot weather, would bring tornados early to Alabama, and he said Alabama will have snow.