LSU fans have discussed Saturday’s contest with Alabama on the Internet since former LSU coach Nick Saban was hired by the Crimson Tide in January 2007.But Alabama fans are fighting back too, commenting on LSU-themed message boards.The hype is building toward Saturday’s contest in Death Valley, and Alabama fans are just as excited about the game as LSU fans.”When LSU won the national championship last year, all Alabama fans could say was, ‘Saban recruited those boys,'” said Erica Olsen, secondary education junior at Alabama.Sam Solomon, business administration sophomore at Alabama, said LSU fans are jealous Saban is no longer at LSU.”LSU should be grateful that Nick Saban led their team all the way to a national championship,” Solomon said. “This game in Baton Rouge is going to show that Nick Saban will not buckle under the great deal of pressure he will face.”Tony Morrison, journalism senior at Alabama, said he has thought about this game since last season’s game ended.”It’s actually amazing though how much the fans have adopted Nick Saban’s personality,” Morrison said. “When he says let’s just focus on the next game, that’s all I want to talk about: the next game. So yeah, I guarantee we’ve all been thinking about the game since last year’s game, but not really talking about it until this week.”Morrison said he saw more comments about the rivalry last season than this season.”I think [LSU’s] victory last year was enough to keep them quiet for a while,” Morrison said.Olsen said Alabama fans have talked about this game since Saban became the Crimson Tide coach.”A lot of my friends are going down to Baton Rouge just to experience the chaos of Saban’s return,” Olsen said.Catherine Briscoe, pre-business freshman at Alabama, said she has only heard the game mentioned a few times several months ago.”There is much more talk now that the Crimson Tide is dominating,” Briscoe said.Solomon said he knows many LSU fans who showed a lot of confidence in the Tigers just a few months ago.”Now, when I talk to them, they bluntly say that they probably won’t win this one,” Solomon said.Briscoe said Alabama fans are anticipating a win against LSU.”Maybe not as easily as the past games, but [we] are very excited to assure the SEC and the nation that we deserve our current ranking,” Briscoe said.Olsen said Alabama fans are just as nervous for this game as they are excited.”If we can secure a win this weekend, we’re SEC championship bound,” Olsen said. “If we lose, our shot at the national championship pretty much goes down the drain.”Olsen said she is anticipating a crazy atmosphere Saturday.”Baton Rouge is known for being absolute chaos on game day,” Olsen said.Morrison said one of his best friends is an LSU fan.”I give him hell all the time because he used to be a hardcore ‘Bama fan and turned to LSU during what I like to call the dark ages of Alabama football,” he said. “Anyway, he’s convinced LSU is going to stomp the Tide.”Olsen said she only knows two “die hard” LSU fans.”They are sure they’ll give us our first loss,” Olsen said.Olsen said Saban’s ties to LSU are almost gone.”He loves Alabama and will lose any and all past affiliation with LSU when he heads to Baton Rouge this weekend,” Olsen said.—-Contact Robert Stewart at [email protected]