No. 1 LSU’s matchup with No. 2 Alabama has undoubtedly captured the attention of fans and analysts from every corner of the country.
When the Southeastern Conference coaches convened Wednesday for their weekly teleconference, some answered as many questions about LSU and Alabama as they did about their own team.
Florida coach Will Muschamp — one of two SEC coaches to face both LSU and Alabama this season — said the two teams are clearly above the rest of the conference.
“They run the ball like you need to in this league,” Muschamp said. “That’s why they are where they are, and the rest of us this year are trying to catch up.”
Muschamp served as LSU’s linebackers coach and defensive coordinator under former Tiger and current Alabama coach Nick Saban from 2001 to 2004.
Muschamp, whose Florida teams suffered lopsided defeats to both teams, echoed the sentiment of many who believe LSU and Alabama mirror each other.
“They play well as entire teams from the standpoint of ball possession offensively,” Muschamp said. “Defensively, they take advantage of opportunities when they have them. They have a very similar make-up.”
Tennessee coach Derek Dooley, the other SEC coach to face both teams this season, also praised them for their performances this year. Dooley, who served as an LSU assistant from 2000 to 2004, said there’s little that sets the Tigers and Crimson Tide apart.
“They’re two programs with great tradition, and they’re well coached,” Dooley said. “They’re both capable of winning a national championship. They’re both capable of beating each other. I could sit here and analyze everything, but all it comes down to is who plays the best football for three and a half hours.”
South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier understands the spotlight surrounding a No. 1 versus No. 2 contest. In 1996, as coach of the Florida Gators, Spurrier faced Florida State in a game between two top-ranked teams.
Spurrier said players and coaches don’t buy into the hype that surrounds a marquee matchup.
“It was just another big game,” said Spurrier, whose team lost 24-21 to the Seminoles. “We had a team that was capable of winning them all, and we didn’t quite do it.”
Though Spurrier’s Gators lost that meeting, the two teams met again in the Sugar Bowl, a rematch for the national championship. Florida routed their in-state rivals 52-20.
Many have wondered whether the loser of LSU and Alabama deserves a second shot at the national championship. Spurrier said these teams could deserve a rematch.
“I keep reading that [there shouldn’t be a] rematch for these two teams,” Spurrier said. “I’m not so sure that that’s the truth or not. If they both win out all the way through, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.”
 
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Contact Hunter Paniagua at [email protected]