Spotlight Game: No. 9 LSU at No. 3 Alabama

It doesn't matter that Alabama has received shaky QB play with Mark Ingram running. Place: Tuscaloosa, Ala. Time: 3:30 p.m. ET TV: CBS Line: Alabama by 7 1/2 Three reasons Alabama will win 1. Running early, run often: It's what works, why change now? Even with the recent struggles of first-year starting QB Greg McElroy, the Tide continue to win with what has essentially become a one-dimensional offense. How, you ask? Because they're physical up front at the point of attack, and because TBs Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson (a dynamic alternative to Ingram who can't be overlooked) break tackles and make defenders miss. Adding spread option principles has given the running game a nice changeup. 2. Healthy and hungry: Two things happened last week that set up Alabama for a critical stretch run to finish the season: 1.) the bye week allowed the team to get healthy before a physical West Division slobberknocker. And 2.) the bye week allowed Texas to jump past the Tide in the ... (link)