Alabama 30 - 12 Auburn (Final)

Alabama ends the game in old-school style.  Starting on its own 5, the Tide rolls slowly up the field, using up the last nine minutes of the game.  The Iron Bowl ends with Alabama in the victory formation at the Auburn 35.  What a spectacular performance!

Alabama 30 - 12 Auburn (9 minutes left in 4th Quarter)

On fourth and 4 from the Alabama 27, Auburn tries a halfback option pass, but the ball is INTERCEPTED by Shaun Dion Hamilton, a defensive back from Carver H.S. in Montgomery, Ala.  That was a great play by the Alabama defense, which was not fooled at all.  Alabama will take over on its own five yard line.

Alabama 30 - 12 Auburn (12:46 left in 4th Quarter)

But Alabama is implacable.  The Tide goes storming down the field, and responds with a 34-yard field goal of its own.

It's hard to overstate just how well Alabama has played so far in this game.  Auburn is a very good team with a great coach and a lot of solid victories this year.  Auburn hasn't made any turnovers, while Alabama has thrown two interceptions and allowed a big punt return.  And yet the Tide lead by 18 points.  This is an extraordinary performance so far.

Alabama 27 - 12 Auburn (2:11 left in 3d Quarter)

But Auburn never gives up.  They go 65 yards from their 25 to the Alabama 10, and top it off with Daniel Carlson's fourth field goal of the day.

Alabama 27 - 9 Auburn (5:16 left in 3d Quarter)

And there's the 18-point lead!  Alabama fought its way down to the Auburn 38, where the Tide faced fourth and 4.  Coach Saban decided to go for it.  With the Auburn defense playing up to stop Alabama and get the ball back, Hurts found ArDarius Stewart (of Fultondale H.S. in Fultondale, Ala.) alone at about the Auburn 25.  Stewart then made a great open-field run to score.

Alabama 20 - 9 Auburn (8:20 left in 3d Quarter)

Auburn, playing with desperation now, fights down to the Alabama 35 in one of its best drives of the day.  But the Tide defense holds, and Daniel Carlson's 52-yard field goal misses to the left.  The Tide gets the ball.

Alabama 20 - 9 Auburn (10:52 left in 3d Quarter)

After stopping Auburn, Alabama goes 57 yards in eight plays to pick up its second touchdown of the game.  The score comes on a four-yard run by Hurts.

Alabama 13 - 9 Auburn (Halftime)

Auburn takes a knee and the half is over.  Auburn has only one first down, and only 34 total yards, but a punt return on two interceptions have led to three field goals, and their defense has done a great job of keeping Alabama out of the end zone.

In his halftime interview, Nick Saban looks and sounds very annoyed, and I can see why.

Alabama is trying to beat Auburn for the third year in a row.  They haven't done that since 1990 to 1992.

Alabama 13 - 9 Auburn (16 seconds left in 2d Quarter)

Alabama puts together a very nice drive against a rugged Auburn defense, but the drive stalls at the Auburn 7, and the Tide settle for another field goal.

Alabama has 263 total yards, and Auburn has 34 total yards.  But the Tide lead only by four.

Alabama 10 - 9 Auburn (3:30 left in 2d Quarter)

Auburn tries a pooch kick on the kickoff, but Alabama fields it cleanly.  The Tide will start from their own 34.

Alabama 10 - 9 Auburn (3:30 left in 2d Quarter)

Auburn gets its first first down of the game, but their drive stalls at the Alabama 22.  Daniel Carlson comes out and makes a 39-yard field goal.  He is 3-3 in the game, and the Tigers now trail by only one point.

Alabama 10 - 6 Auburn (6:41 left in 2d Quarter)

Alabama drives down to the Auburn 40, but then Hurts throws another INTERCEPTION to Daniel Thomas.  Thomas scampers all the way from the Auburn 30 to the Alabama 41, and the Tigers will start from there.

Alabama 10 - 6 Auburn (10:03 left in 2d Quarter)

After an exchange of punts, Alabama will start from its own 19.

Alabama 10 - 6 Auburn (13:38 left in 2d Quarter)

Today is Verne Lundquist's final regular-season game for CBS, and the folks in Alabama just gave him a special award.  And now we have a special guest in the booth -- it's JOE NAMATH!  Verne is thrilled, as are all neutral fans and Alabama fans.  I'm not sure how the Auburn fans feel about this.

Alabama 10 - 6 Auburn (13:38 left in 2d Quarter)

Once again, the Alabama defense holds.  But this time Daniel Carlson hammers a 52-yard field goal to bring the Tigers within four.  He's got a 44-yard field goal and a 52-yard field goal, and he has been Auburn's best weapon so far.

Alabama 10 - 3 Auburn (14:54 left in 2d Quarter)

Alabama has been dominant so far, but Jalen Hurts just threw an INTERCEPTION to Daniel Thomas of Robert E. Lee H.S. in Montgomery, Ala.  Auburn takes over at the Alabama 41.

Alabama 10 - 3 Auburn (2:49 left in 1st Quarter)

It takes Alabama only a few plays to drive for a touchdown.  The score comes on a 17-yard catch and run from Jalen Hurts (of Channelview H.S. in Channelview, Tex.) to Damien Harris (of Madison Southern H.S. in Richmond, Ky.)  That was very impressive.

Alabama 3 - 3 Auburn (4:17 left in 1st Quarter)

Auburn goes three and out, and they punt to the Alabama 37.  The Tide run it back to the Alabama 45, and they will start from there.

Alabama 3 - 3 Auburn (4:40 left in 1st Quarter)

Ohio State beats Michigan 30-27 in double overtime, and the Wolverines may have been eliminated from the College Football Playoffs.

Alabama 3 - 3 Auburn (5:40 left in 1st Quarter)

Alabama responds to the Auburn field goal with a long drive of its own, which finally stalls at the Auburn 12.  Adam Griffith (of Calhoun H.S. in Calhoun, Ga.) boots a 29-yard field goal, and we are all tied at 3.

Alabama 0 - 3 Auburn (12:31 left in 1st Quarter)

The Alabama defense makes a great stand, driving Auburn backward four yards in three plays.  But Daniel Carlson (of the Classical Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.) boots a 42 yard field goal, and the Tigers take the early lead.

Alabama 0 - 0 Auburn (13:44 left in 1st Quarter)

Alabama took the opening kickoff, drove to midfield, and punted.  Auburn's Stephen Roberts (of Opelika H.S. in Opelika, Ala.) caught the punt on the dead run, and ran it all the way back to the Alabama 21.  So the Auburn offense starts from there.

Alabama v. Auburn

For the last weekend of the regular season, we have what I consider to be the best rivalry in all of college football -- and probably the best rivalry in all of sports.  No place on earth cares as much about any sport as the State of Alabama cares about college football.  The only place that compares is Kentucky with its love of college basketball.  But while Kentucky is largely united behind UK, Alabama is bitterly divided between Alabama fans and Auburn fans.  And while most sports rivals meet at least twice per season, the Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn only takes place once a year.  That's it -- you lose that game, you have to wait a whole year to get revenge.  The once-a-year showdown creates a sense of drama unmatched by anything else in sports.

Alabama leads the all-time series 44-35-1, and many of those games are legends.  These teams have met for the UCFC on three different occasions, with Alabama winning in 1971 and 1977, and Auburn taking the Big Gold Trophy in 1983.  But it's only appropriate that they meet now, because this is truly the Golden Age of the Iron Bowl.  Alabama has recently won four national titles:  2009, 2011, 2012, and 2015.  Auburn won the national title in 2010, and played for the national title in 2013.  So six of the last seven Iron Bowls featured a team that played for, or won, the national championship. Here are the scores of those games (home team listed first):

2009:  Auburn 21 - 26 Alabama (Alabama wins the National Championship)
2010:  Alabama 27 - 28 Auburn (Auburn wins the National Championship)
2011:  Auburn 14 - 41 Alabama (Alabama wins the National Championship)
2012:  Alabama 49 - 0 Auburn (Alabama wins the National Championship)
2013:  Auburn 34 - 28 Alabama (Auburn plays for the National Championship)
2014:  Alabama 55 - 44 Auburn (Alabama wins the SEC Championship)
2015:  Auburn 13 - 29 Alabama (Alabama wins the National Championship)

There are some real classics in there, along with some clunkers where Auburn was struggling under Gene Chizik or simply over matched.

What will we get today?  Alabama is 11-0, they are ranked number one by everyone, and they may be one of the greatest teams Alabama has ever had.  Auburn is 8-3, with losses only to Clemson, Texas A & M, and Georgia.  I believe that Auburn's coach, Gus Malzahn, is one of the most underrated coaches in the country.  As offensive coordinator, he was the true mastermind behind Auburn's run to the title in 2010; as the head coach, he led the Tigers back to the title game in 2013; and he has put together yet another solid squad this year.  If anyone in the country could go to Tuscaloosa and beat Alabama, it is an Auburn team coached by Gus Malzahn.  But Alabama is very, very good.

The oddsmakers have Alabama favored by 18 points in a game where they expect 47 points to be scored.  That would indicate an Alabama victory by something like 32-14.  I will be surprised if Alabama wins this game by 18 points or more.

Alabama 31 - 3 UT-Chattanooga (Final)

Give a lot of credit to the Mocs, who gave it everything they had tonight.  And recognize that Alabama was obviously flat, with the Iron Bowl coming up next week.  But I agree with Alabama radio announcer Eli Gold, who said he was not worried about Alabama's performance, because the Tide were due to be flat after all the tough games they've already won.  And besides, I believe that any win in the UCFC is a big deal.  We count them all, and Alabama is now 33-14 in UCFC play.  As for the Mocs, they are now 0-2, but we salute their effort.

Alabama 31 - 3 UT-Chattanooga (3:45 left in 4th Quarter)

Alabama is still playing its starters, and after a short drive, Hurts throws a two-yard touchdown pass to Dieter -- the second time they've hooked up for a score in this game.

Alabama 24 - 3 UT-Chattanooga (4:54 left in 4th Quarter)

We've had rather desultory action as the teams wait for the clock to run out.  But UT-Chattanooga just fumbled the ball at its own 20, and it was recovered by Alabama linebacker Rashaan Evans of Auburn H.S. in Auburn, Ala.

In this game, we've cited one Alabama player from South Bend, and another from Auburn.  Nick Saban really is quite a recruiter.

Alabama 24 - 3 UT-Chattanooga (14:48 left in 4th Quarter)

After another punt, the Tide drives from its own 39 to the Moc 16.  There the drive stalls, so Andy Pappanastos, their back-up kicker (from Trinity Presbyterian H.S. in Montgomery, Ala.), boots a 33-yard field goal.  I don't know what happened to the regular kicker, but the folks on the Alabama Radio Network don't seem too concerned.

UT-Chattanooga's starting QB, Alejandro Bennifield from Lovejoy H.S. in Lovejoy, Ga., got banged up in a third quarter, so he's on the sidelines.  This is the Mocs' last game of the regular season, but they are ranked number-11 in Division I-AA and they have hopes of getting into the playoffs.  So they're letting Bennifield rest.

Alabama 21 - 3 UT-Chattanooga (4:07 left in 3d Quarter)

Alabama forced another punt, and started from the UT-Chattanooga 43.  A few plays later, the Alabama running game finally broke free.  Damien Harris, from Madison Southern H.S. in Richmond, Ky., dashed 25 yards through the Moc defense for Alabama's third touchdown of the game.

Alabama 14 - 3 UT-Chattanooga (6:45 left in 3d Quarter)

Not much has happened so far in the second half.  Alabama just punted, and UT-Chattanooga will start from its own 26.

Alabama 14 - 3 UT-Chattanooga (Halftime)

Very solid performance by the Mocs, who have played very well except for two plays -- a long bomb and a fumbled punt.  For now, those two plays are the difference in the game.

Alabama 14 - 3 UT-Chattanooga (8:44 left in 2d Quarter)

It wasn't easy.  The UT-Chattanooga defense held for three plays.  But on 4th and Goal from the 2, Nick Saban decided to go for the touchdown.  He did not do that fade play to the corner of the end zone.  Instead, Hurts rolled out on a run-pass option, and flipped the ball to Gehrig Dieter (of Washington H.S. in South Bend, Indiana).  Dieter was in the end zone, and he had the ball.  By rule, that's a touchdown.

Alabama 7 - 3 UT-Chattnooga (10:37 left in 2d Quarter)

The Mocs punted.  And then Alabama punted.  And then the Mocs FUMBLED the punt.  And Alabama recovered.  So the Tide now have first and goal at the Mocs' 9.

Alabama 7 - 3 UT-Chattanooga (14:13 left in 2d Quarter)

The Tide kick off, and the Mocs run it back to their own 20.  They'll start from there.

Alabama 7 - 3 UT-Chattanooga (14:21 left in 2d Quarter)

Alabama took about seven plays to get to the Mocs' 48-yard line, and then Jalen Hurts (of Channelview H.S. in Channelview, Tex.) hurled a strike to Calvin Ridley (of Monarch H.S. in Coconut Creek, Fla.) who easily beat the Mocs' defense and was wide open for the touchdown.

Alabama 0 - 3 UT-Chattanooga (2:07 left in 1st Quarter)

The Mocs have to punt, and Alabama will start from its own 25.

Alabama 0 - 3 UT-Chattanooga (5:38 left in 1st Quarter)

So far, the only points in this game are from a 47-yard field goal by Henrique Ribeiro of the Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Uniform watch:  The Mocs wear white helmets with a big gold "C".  They have white jerseys with blue numerals trimmed in gold, and the word "CHATTANOOGA" across the top of the front.  They have blue pants with gold stripes down the side.

Alabama v. UT-Chattanooga

This is the twelfth meeting in football between the University of Alabama and the various iterations of UT-Chattnooga.  They first met on October 31, 1908, and Alabama won 23-6.  That set the tone for this series, as Alabama has won all 11 prior meetings.

These days, it's common for SEC teams to play I-AA teams in November, as they try to get ready for the big games that end the season.  In fact, this will be the third time Alabama has played UT-Chattanooga under Nick Saban, and all three meetings took place at this exact moment in the schedule.  On November 21, 2009, Alabama beat UT-Chattanooga 45-0.  On November 23, 2013, Alabama beat UT-Chattanooga 49-0.  We will see if they can do something similar today.

Alabama has clinched the SEC West, and this afternoon Florida clinched the SEC East.  So those two teams will be meeting in the SEC title game for the ninth time since the game began back in 1992.  Only one other match-up -- Georgia v. LSU -- has occurred even three times.

UT-Chattanooga

In 1886, Chattanooga University was founded as a private school.  It went through various mergers and re-organizations for the next 83 years.  Finally, in 1969, it became part of the University of Tennessee system, thus become the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.  These days, the school prefers to be referred to as "Chattanooga," but they are still part of the UT system.  Besides, I've always thought of them as "UT-Chattanooga," and so that's what they will be here.

I did not realize, until I started writing this post, that UT-Chattanooga no longer refers to its sports teams as the "Moccasins."  In fact, since 1996 they have been the "Mocs."  Here's the explanation from their web page:

Why Mocs? 
Faced with politically sensitive issues and in need of a stronger core identity to help establish a strong brand as Chattanooga's Team, the athletics department embarked on a comprehensive identity program in 1996. A new direction for the athletics identity was determined, moving away from the politically incorrect Native American Indian imagery.

Several identities have been used in the past. With the old nickname "Moccasins," a snake was used in the 1920s and an Indian was used until the year of major change in 1996. A moccasin shoe was even used in the 1980s.

In 1996, it was decided to adopt the State Bird of Tennessee, the Mockingbird, as the core of the new identity, while incorporating the strong regional imagery of Chattanooga's vast railroad history.  The mascot "Scrappy" was born and a new emphasis was placed on the athletics department's role in the region.

The committee also recognized the need for the word "Chattanooga" to have a great emphasis in the logo. The nickname "Moccasins" was shortened to simply "Mocs." Thus established, Chattanooga could rebuild its athletics programs and initiatives around this new identity.

There's not much I can add to that.

When I was growing up, the UT-Chattanooga Moccasins played Division I-AA football.  These days, they would have us believe that the Chattanooga Mocs play FCS football.  But to me, it's all the same.

This is the Golden Age of UT-Chattanooga football.  Until 2014, they had only made the I-AA playoffs once.  But in 2014, the Mocs reached the quarter-finals of the I-AA playoffs, before losing 35-30 to New Hampshire.  Last year, the Mocs made the second round of the playoffs, before losing to Jacksonville State 41-35 (in overtime).  This year, the Mocs went 8-2 overall, and 6-2 in the Southern Conference.

This will only be the second time UT-Chattanooga, in any of its iterations, has played for the UCFC.  On November 14, 1942, the Moccasins lost to Georgia 40-0.  They will hope to do better tonight.

Alabama 51 - 3 Mississippi St. (Final)

The Bulldogs were simply no match for Alabama, who defend their crown for the second week in a row.  The Tide are now 32-14 in UCFC competition.  MSU falls to 1-9 in UCFC play, but that one is really interesting.  In September 1989, Florida State lost the UCFC, in a stunning upset, to Southern Mississippi.  It turned out that Southern Mississippi had a quarterback named Brett Favre.  But MSU beat Favre and Southern Mississippi to take the title -- only to lose it to Georgia.  They've never gotten it back, and now they'll have to wait and hope that the crown stays in the SEC.

Alabama 24 - 0 Mississippi St. (9:55 left in 2d Quarter)

Here at the UCFC blog, we traditionally stop blogging when one team gets up by 24 points are more.  Because we've had so many close games this year, we haven't invoked this rule very often.  But we are invoking it now, because Alabama has taken a 24-point lead.  MSU took the kickoff, and was stopped on downs at the Alabama 35.  The Tide then drove straight down the field, scoring on a four-yard run by QB Hurts.  What a devastating performance so far.

Alabama 17 - 0 Mississippi St. (12:36 left in 2d Quarter)

Alabama is an awesome football team.  After MSU punted, it only took a few plays before QB Jalen Hurts (of Channelview H.S. in Channelview, Tex.) through a pass to Ardarius Stewart (of Fultondale H.S. in Fultondale, Ala.), who raced 67 yards for an easy touchdown.

Alabama 10 - 0 Mississippi St. (1:07 minutes left in 1st Quarter)

While I was out getting lunch, they started the game.  Alabama took the opening kickoff and drove down to the Mississippi State 12, settling for a field goal.  Then Alabama got a turnover, and took only 4 plays to go 32 yards for a touchdown.  That put the Tide up by 10, and not much has happened since.  The Tide just punted into the end zone.

Alabama v. Mississippi St.

It takes only one hour and 28 minutes to drive from Starkville, Miss. to Tuscaloosa, Ala. -- you just stay on U.S. Highway 82 the whole way.  But historically, the gap between the football programs in those two cities is much, much greater.  Alabama has the fifth highest winning percentage among all Division I-A football programs; Mississippi State is 96th.  Alabama has 29 SEC championships; Mississippi State has one.  Alabama has won 36 bowl games; Mississippi State has won 11.

You get the point.

Given this background, it is not surprising that this series is lopsided in favor of the Tide.  Alabama and Mississippi State have played each other almost every year since 1925, and every year since 1939, and the Tide leads the all-time series 78-18-3.  But there is one great moment for the Bulldogs that should be remembered.  On November 1, 1980, Alabama traveled to Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Mississippi with a 28-game winning streak -- the longest in school history.  The Tide had won the National Title in 1978 and 1979, and they were ranked number-1 in the country in 1980.  But Mississippi State was 6-2 with wins over Miami (Fla.) and Auburn, and the Bulldogs led 6-3 with only a few minutes left.  Alabama, being Alabama, mounted a final drive, and was on the MSU 4-yard line with 25 seconds to play.  But Alabama FUMBLED the ball, and MSU pounced on it for the game-clinching score.  That game ended Bear Bryant's last chance at the National Title, and was in fact the only time MSU ever beat the Bear.

MSU wouldn't beat Alabama again until 1996.

It took a long time, but Alabama did eventually get its revenge.  In 2014, Mississippi had one of its greatest teams.  Led by current Cowboy star Dak Prescott, the Bulldogs won their first nine games, including wins over number-8 LSU, number-6 Texas A & M, and number-2 Auburn, to become the number one team in the country.  They still had the number-1 ranking on November 15, 2014, when they rolled into Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama.  But the Tide killed off MSU's chance at the national title, jumping out to a 19-3 halftime lead, and hanging on for a 25-20 victory.

Dak Prescott isn't at MSU any more, and the Bulldogs miss him.  Here are the current SEC Standings (conference games only):

EAST
Florida:  4-2
Kentucky:  4-3
Georgia:  3-4
S. Carolina:  3-4
Tennessee:  2-3
Vanderbilt:  1-4
Missouri:  0-5

WEST
(1) Alabama:  6-0
(8) Auburn:  5-1
(10) Texas A & M:  4-2
(19) Louisiana St:  3-2
Arkansas:  2-3
Mississippi St:  2-3
Mississippi:  1-4

As you can see, MSU is in a very difficult division.  They beat South Carolina, lost to LSU, Auburn, and Kentucky, but last week they upset our old friends from Texas A & M by the score of 35 to 28.  So there is still life in Starkville.  On the other hand, Alabama has been extraordinary so far this season.  The oddsmakers have installed the Tide as 29 1/2 point favorites in a game where 52 points are expected.  That would work out to something like a 41-12 victory for Alabama.  I don't know that it will be that easy, but I do believe that an upset by MSU today would be even bigger than the one they pulled off in 1980.

Louisiana St. 0 - 10 Alabama (Final)

Once again, LSU gives it the old college try -- and once again, they fade down the stretch.  A tremendous victory for Alabama under very difficult conditions.  An excellent performance by Jalen Hurts, who seemed to get stronger as the game went on.  And one of the best performances I've ever seen from the Alabama defense, which was utterly dominant.

All in all, a wonderful old-fashioned SEC game.

Alabama's record in UCFC play is now 31-14, and they have now played their final road game of the year.  Next week they will defend the Big Gold Trophy at home against Mississippi State.

LSU's record in the UCFC falls to 11-10-1, and they will have to hope that the title stays in the SEC.

Louisiana St. 0 - 10 Alabama (1:52 left in 4th Quarter)

LSU runs four plays, and makes only two yards.  Alabama's defense has been phenomenal in this game.

Alabama has 316 yards.
LSU has 125 yards.

Verne points out that LSU has six first downs and eight punts.

Louisiana St. 0 - 10 Alabama (2:29 left in 4th Quarter)

LSU runs the kickoff back to their own 33.

Louisiana St. 0 - 10 Alabama (2:41 left in 4th Quarter)

Facing 4th and goal at the 7, Alabama tries another field goal.  This time Griffiths' kick is good, and the Tide lead by 10.

Louisiana St. 0 - 7 Alabama (3:11 left in 4th Quarter)

Alabama has had the ball for 14 plays since the interception.  Twice, Hurts has saved the drive with long scrambles on third down.  Now they face 3d and goal at the 7, after a penalty at the 2.

Here we go:  Hurts scrambles . . . and throws . . . incomplete.

Louisiana St. 0 - 7 Alabama (12:32 left in 4th Quarter)

On first down, LSU hits a 13-yard pass, and they're at their own 38.

On first down, the Alabama defense hammers LSU quarterback Danny Etling (a transfer from Purdue who went to South Vigo H.S. in Terre Haute, Ind.)  Etling throws a wounded duck that is apparently INTERCEPTED by Minkah Fitzpatrick (of St. Peter's Prep in Old Bridge, N.J.)  Fitzpatrick appears to make a wonderful, diving catch.

Now the play is under review.  The ruling on the field STANDS.  Alabama takes over at its own 43.

Louisiana St. 0 - 7 Alabama (13:08 left in 4th Quarter)

The kickoff goes into the end zone, and LSU will start from its own 25.

Louisiana St. 0 - 7 Alabama (13:08 left in 4th Quarter)

On 3d and 9 from the LSU 21, Jalen Hurts rolls out for a pass -- and realizes that the middle of the field is open.  He shoots into the gap, beats a few defenders in the backfield, and GOES IN FOR THE TOUCHDOWN.  Great play by Hurts, who makes up for his two turnovers.

Alabama completes a 91-yard drive, and they now lead by a touchdown.

I love me some Big XII football, but this is so much better.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (14:40 left in 4th Quarter)

On 4th and 1, Bo Scarborough (of Tuscaloosa Co. H.S. in Tuscaloosa, Ala.) runs 9 yards for a first down.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (end of 3d Quarter)

Slowly, painfully, Alabama has moved down the field.  They got one first down on a pass from their own 5.  They got another first down on a late hit penalty.  They got another on a QB scramble.  They now face 4th and 1 at the LSU 32.

Alabama has 219 yards and 2 turnovers.
LSU has 110 yards and 0 turnovers.

This is the first I-A game all season that's been scoreless after three quarters.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (4:05 left in 3d Quarter)

On 3d and 3 from the Alabama 35, LSU is hit with a huge delay of game penalty.  And then the Alabama defense overwhelms them on 3d and 8, forcing an intentional grounding penalty.  The Tigers punt to the Alabama 9.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (5:43 left in 3d Quarter)

Disaster for Alabama!  QB Hurts is scrambling around when the ball is slapped from his hand for a FUMBLE!  LSU takes over at the Alabama 42.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (6:17 left in 3d Quarter)

LSU goes three and out again, and they punt to the Alabama 42.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (7:48 left in 3d Quarter)

Alabama goes three and out, and they punt.  Instead of letting the ball go into the end zone, the LSU returner fields it at his own 3 -- and his promptly hammered to the ground.  So the Tigers will start from the shadow of their own end zone.  The way this game is going, a safety could make the difference.

Alabama has 171 total yards.  LSU has 107.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (9:59 left in 3d Quarter)

Alabama's defense forces another three-and-out, and LSU punts to the Alabama 46.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (11:29 left in 3d Quarter)

But the LSU defense HOLDS!  Alabama goes for it on fourth and goal at the 1, and LSU hits them for a five-yard loss.  The Tigers will start from their own 6.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (13:29 left in 3d Quarter)

On first and 10, Alabama goes for it.  Jalen Hurts (of Channelview H.S. in Channelview, Tex.) hits a 53-yard pass to Ardarius Stewart (of Fultondale H.S. in Fultondale, Ala.)  The Tide will have first and goal at the LSU 7.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (13:21 left in 3d Quarter)

LSU goes three and out, as they miss another easy pass.  Gary Danielson crushes the LSU QB for missing at least three easy passes so far, then makes a self-deprecating remark to balance things out a bit.  Good for him.  The Tigers punt to the Alabama 40 -- the punt is fumbled at first, but Alabama hangs on and they will have the ball.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (15 minutes left in 3d Quarter)

Alabama's kickoff to start the second half goes into the end zone, and LSU will start from its own 25.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (Halftime)

LSU can't do anything, and the half expires.  Verne says, "If you like scoreless ties, we have what you're looking for."  Verne's the best.

Alabama has 120 total yards.
LSU has 99.

Alabama had one turnover and one missed field goal.
LSU had no turnovers and one missed field goal.

For the record, the last time a team won the UCFC without scoring at least 20 points was October 10, 2009, when Florida held the crown with a 13-3 win over LSU.  Ironically, that was also the last time LSU played for the UCFC.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (1:17 left in 2d Quarter)

The Tide go three and out, and punt to their own 47.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (2:16 left in 2d Quarter)

LSU moves the ball out to its own 39, misses an easy pass on third down, and has to punt.  Alabama is penalized on the return, and will start from its own 5.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (5:52 left in 2d Quarter)

For reasons I don't understand, Alabama rarely has a good field goal kicker.  This time, the Tide put together their first sustained drive of the game -- moving the ball from their 9 to the LSU 24.  But Adam Griffith (of Calhoun H.S. in Calhoun, Ga.) misses a 42-yard field goal, and the Tigers will start from the 24.

Verne and Gary Danielson say this game reminds them of LSU's 9-6 win (in overtime) back in 2011.  And they are right.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (8:22 left in 2d Quarter)

LSU puts together a pretty good drive, but it peters out just on the Alabama side of the 50.  The Tigers punt, and the Tide will start from its own 9.

So far, LSU has 80 yards, and Alabama has 44.  There have been a lot of really good tackles by both teams.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (14:58 left in 2d Quarter)

Alabama gets the ball out to its own 34, but can go no further.  They punt into the LSU end zone.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (3:30 left in 1st Quarter)

Now LSU goes three-and-out, and they punt down to the Alabama 2.  Gary Danielson thought the Alabama receiver should have caught the punt at the 15.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (5:16 left in 1st Quarter)

Alabama again goes three and out, and is forced to punt.  LSU has about a 10-yard return, and the Tigers will start from their own 47.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (7:38 left in 1st Quarter)

LSU hits a long pass to get to midfield, but can't get any further.  The Tigers punt, and Alabama will start from its own 12.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (12:01 left in 1st Quarter)

Alabama goes three and out, and they punt down to the LSU 9.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (12:39 left in 1st Quarter)

A great stand by the Alabama defense.  They hold LSU three and out, and then Colby Delahoussaye (of New Iberia H.S. in New Iberia, La.) misses a 49-yard field goal.  I think it was tipped at the line.

So Alabama will take over from its own 32.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (13:48 left in 1st Quarter)

On 3d and 11 from his own 13, Alabama QB Jalen Hurts throws a long pass that is INTERCEPTED by Jamal Adams, a defensive back from Hebron H.S. in Lewisville, Tex.  He makes a diving catch at the Alabama 33, and the Tigers will start from there.

The folks in Tiger Stadium go appropriately nuts.

Louisiana St. 0 - 0 Alabama (14:56 minutes left in 1st Quarter)

A rare night game for Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson on CBS.  The Tigers like to play their big games at night, and it doesn't get much bigger than this.  Alabama is going for its 21st win in a row, and its sixth straight win over LSU.  The Tiger faithful have done their part, and they are here in big numbers.  Verne tells us that "this has been the most intense rivalry in the SEC in the last 10 years," and I think he's right.

Over 102,000 folks in Tiger Stadium, which was recently expanded.

Uniform watch:  no need -- both teams wearing their traditional uniforms, with the Tigers wearing white at home (as usual).

71 degrees and 52 percent humidity -- doesn't get much better than that.

11th consecutive meetings with both teams left.

LSU won the toss and deferred to the second half, so they kick off to the Tide.  Alabama's receiver is hammered on the return, and the Tide will start from its own 14.

Louisiana St. v. Alabama

According to "And the Valley Shook," if LSU is Animal, then Alabama is Kermit:

Alabama is Kermit. Look, the truth hurts. Bama, like Kermit, is the premier program of the conference what with their twenty billion titles or whatever. They get all of the plaudits and are the leaders of this ragtag mob. The perception of the conference is tied to Bama, just as the fortunes of the Muppets are tied to Kermit. Damn them. Though, unlike Bama, Kermit uses his powers for good.

It's hard to argue with most of that, although of course folks will disagree over whether Alabama uses its powers for good.  It also explains why the LSU/Alabama game is usually one of the best fixtures of the year.  LSU's biggest weakness is a tendency to lose concentration against lesser opponents -- but they don't have that problem when they play Alabama.  On the other hand, Alabama is often able to use superior coaching -- Alabama fans would call it "character" -- to defeat LSU's talent and enthusiasm.  From 1971 to 1981, Bear Bryant ran off 11 wins in a row against LSU -- and some of those LSU teams were very good.  Alabama leads the all-time series 50-25-5.

But LSU has been in a Golden Age lately, and the Tigers ran off five straight against Alabama from 2003 to 2006 before the Tide hired Nick Saban.  Of course, Saban had been LSU's coach from 2000 to 2003, so Tiger fans were enraged at his decision to join Alabama.  But Saban is not moved by those sorts of considerations, and soon the annual grudge match between LSU and Alabama had become one of the must-see games on the national schedule.  Check out these results (home team listed first):

11/03/07:  Alabama 34 - 41 Louisiana St.  (LSU keeps the UCFC and goes on to win the national title)

11/08/08:  Louisiana St. 21 - 27 Alabama (Overtime) (Alabama stays number 1 in the country)

11/07/09:  Alabama 24 - 15 Louisiana St.  (Alabama goes on to win the national title)

11/06/10:  Louisiana St. 24 - 21 Alabama

11/05/11:  Alabama 6 - 9 Louisiana St. (Overtime)  This was a huge game, because it allowed LSU to win the SEC West, and then the SEC Championship, and gain a spot in the national title game.  If LSU had played any other team for the national title, the Tigers would have given Les Miles his second national championship -- and the history of college football would be very different.  But everything went wrong for LSU.  There were a bunch of late-season upsets, and in the end Alabama was given a rematch in the Sugar Bowl.  That game ended like this:

01/09/12:  Louisiana St. 0 - 21 Alabama  I thought at the time that this was the greatest game Alabama had ever played.  That may still be true.  But in any event, Nick Saban got his second national title at Alabama.  And LSU has never fully recovered.  In fact, they haven't beaten the Tide since.

11/03/12:  Louisiana St. 17 - 21 Alabama (The Tide went on to win another national title, its third in four years)

11/09/13:  Alabama 38 - 17 Louisiana St.

11/08/14:  Louisiana St. 13 - 20 Alabama (Overtime) (The Tide trailed most of the game, but sent it to overtime with a last-second touchdown).

11/07/15:  Alabama 30 - 16 Louisiana St. (The Tide went on to claim Nick Saban's fourth national title in seven seasons).

That left Saban with a record of 7-3 over Les Miles, and a record of 4-1 over Miles in national titles.  It was those games, more than anything else, that undermined support for Miles and cause LSU to fire him after two early losses this season.

The stakes for this game are enormous.  Mississippi State upset Texas A & M today, so the standings in the SEC West now look like this (conference games only):

(1) Alabama:  5-0
(11) Auburn:  5-1
(15) LSU:  3-1
(7) Texas A & M:  4-2
Mississippi St:  2-3
Arkansas:  1-3
Ole Miss:  1-4

Today is Alabama's last true road game of the season -- they've already won at Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee.  If the Crimson Tide win today, they will be one step closer to defending their national title.  But if LSU can pull the upset, the Tigers will not only get the UCFC -- they will have a good chance to win the SEC themselves.

Normally, the game of the day in the SEC is shown at 2:30 P.M. Central Time on CBS.  But CBS is doing a prime-time game tonight, due to LSU's unique love of night football.  Kickoff is at 7 Central.  ESPN Gameday, recognizing the importance of this game, showed up in Baton Rouge today, where it was met with signs like "Nick Saban uses a private e-mail server."

Vegas favors Alabama by 7 in a game where 45 1/2 points are expected.  That would work out to a 26-19 win for the Tide, and my guess is that Nick Saban would take that right now.  Ed Orgeron is 3-0 in Baton Rouge, and the Tigers will do everything they can to win this one.

Louisiana State

One of my favorite things on the Internet is a post on a webpage called "And the Valley Shook" called The SEC as Muppets.  This post was done by an LSU fan, and he decided that LSU was best represented by . . . Animal:

LSU is Animal. This is actually an easy one. We're completely unhinged, barely clinging to reality. Always ready to party, we are a destructive force on the SEC, though really, we're quite harmless (the fans, not the team). I also think it would probably be best for everyone concerned if we were kept on a chain lest we attack Rita Moreno.

That's about as good a description of the LSU football program as you can find anywhere.  Of the states in the deep South, Louisiana is the only one that features a single big-time football program.  (Tulane is no Georgia Tech.)  And this means that whoever coaches LSU has almost uncontested access to one of the richest talent bases in America.  Any team that features the best high school players in Louisiana should be very formidable indeed.

And LSU is usually formidable.  But fortunately for the rest of the country, LSU has a tendency to hire eccentric coaches.  Les Miles -- who was actually one of the greatest LSU coaches -- would often lose one or two games a year because he wouldn't manage the clock correctly, or because his team would suffer odd mental lapses.  Over time, this sort of thing drove the LSU fans crazy -- or even crazier than usual -- and earlier this season they finally dispatched with Les Miles's services, despite his 2007 National Championship and his lifetime record of 114-34.

But LSU's coaches aren't the only ones prone to eccentricity.  Since hiring Nick Saban at the beginning of the 2000 season, LSU has gone 162-50, with four conference titles and two national titles.  Contrary to expectations in Baton Rouge, the Tigers are not usually this good.  For example, from 1984 to 1999, LSU used four different coaches to go 101-78-4, with two conference titles and no national title.  From 1962 to 1979, Charley McClendon went 137-59-7, with one conference title and no national titles.  So the last 16 years have been a Golden Age for Tiger football, and one wonders whether LSU fans appreciate that fact.

For now, the Tigers are happy to be coached by Ed Orgeron, who has been the interim coach since Miles was let go after losing to Auburn.  Orgeron was head man at Ole Miss from 2005 to 2007, and went 10-25 (and 3-21 against SEC opponents) -- one of the worst records seen at that proud old institution.  But Orgeron is a Cajun (he's from Larose, Louisiana, one of the last towns you reach on your Southern travels before you run into the Gulf of Mexico), and he's not Les Miles, and he's 3-0 so far -- so LSU fans are excited.

LSU won undisputed national titles in 1958 and 2007, and split the national title with Southern Cal in 2003.  The Tigers' all-time record in UCFC play is 11-9-1.  The Tigers last held the crown in 2007, taking it with a 30-24 win over Auburn on October 20, and keeping it until November 23, 2007, when Arkansas upset them 50-48.  Since then, they've had one more shot at the title, but they lost 13-3 to Florida on October 10, 2009.