First Quarter
While fans across the country predicted a much different ball game the second time around between No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama in the BCS National Championship game, the first quarter didn’t show any implication of that.
Uncharacteristically, LSU lost the coin toss and received the ball to start off the game.
Similar to the first bout between the two, both sides struggled to get anything going early offensively.
Alabama wide receiver Marquis Maze sparked the first points of the contest with a 49-yard punt return that put the Tide inside the 30-yard line to begin the drive.
Five plays later, Tide kicker Jeremy Shelley hit a 23-yard field goal to give Alabama an early 3-0 lead.
 
Second Quarter
If deja vu hadn’t set in yet for both sides, the early part of the second quarter quickly changed that.
After a 13-play 64-yard drive by Alabama, including a Mad Hatter-esque fake field goal, a 42-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Tiger defensive lineman Michael Brockers, eerily similar to the 49-yarder blocked on the Nov. 5 showdown in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
But the spark couldn’t trigger any momentum for the offense, which continued to punt for the rest of the quarter.
Alabama continued it’s success, moving the ball 58 yards in 11 plays to tack on another Shelley field goal and extend the Tide lead, 6-0.
The damage wouldn’t stop there.
Alabama would march 52 yards in the final 1:59 of the first half and add yet another Shelley field goal and head into the break ahead, 9-0.
 
Third Quarter
The Tide took that momentum straight into the second half, coming out of the break without missing a beat.
Sparked by two Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron passes to wideouts Keny Bell and Darius Hanks for 26 and 19 yards, respectively, the Tide nailed a forth field goal on their opening drive to extend the lead again, 12-0.
The LSU offense continued to be lifeless the rest of quarter, adding two more Wing punts to the night, as well as a sure fire Sportscenter Not-Top-10 play as Jefferson underhand tossed a pass right into the hands of Alabama defender C.J. Mosley.
Mosley was injured on the play and would have to be carted off the field to the locker room.
A record-setting fifth field goal by Shelley put Alabama ahead 15-0 entering the fourth.