2012 BCS National Championship Game

2012 Allstate BCS National Championship Game
14th BCS National Championship Game
Alabama Crimson Tide LSU Tigers (11–1) (13–0) SEC SEC 21 0 Head coach:  Nick Saban Head coach:  Les Miles AP Coaches BCS 2 2 2 AP Coaches BCS 1 1 1
1 2 3 4 Total Alabama 3 6 6 6 21 LSU 0 0 0 0 0
Date	January 9, 2012
Season	2011
Stadium	Mercedes-Benz Superdome
Location	New Orleans, Louisiana
MVP	Offense: A. J. McCarron (QB, Alabama) Defense: Courtney Upshaw (LB, Alabama)
Favorite	Alabama by 1.5 [1]
Referee	Scott Novak (Big 12)
Halftime show	Louisiana State University Tiger Marching Band Million Dollar Band
Attendance	78,237
Payout	US$21.2 million
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN [2]
Announcers	Brent Musburger (play-by-play) Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi (sidelines)
Nielsen ratings	16.2 (24.2 million viewers)
BCS National Championship Game ←  2011 2013  →

The 2012 BCS National Championship Game (branded as the 2012 Allstate BCS National Championship Game for sponsorship reasons) was a postseason college football bowl game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the LSU Tigers, and determined the national champion of the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season on Monday, January 9, 2012, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The game was part of the 2011–2012 Bowl Championship Series and a rematch of regular season foes. ^[3] Alabama beat LSU 21–0 to win their 14th national championship, marking the first shutout in a national championship game since the 1992 Orange Bowl and the first ever shutout in a BCS bowl game. ^{[4] [5] [6]} The game had the third-lowest TV rating, 14.01, in the 14-year history of the BCS National Championship game. ^{[7] [8]}

It was LSU's first loss in a game played in New Orleans (which is near the LSU campus in Baton Rouge) since the 1987 Sugar Bowl. From 1987 through the 2011 regular season, LSU was 4–0 in bowl games in New Orleans (three Sugar Bowls and the 2008 BCS National Championship Game) and 5–0 in the city vs. Tulane.

Teams

LSU was selected to participate in the BCS National Championship Game after a 13–0 regular season that culminated with a 42–10 win over the University of Georgia in the 2011 SEC Championship Game. Alabama was picked as the other half of the match-up following an 11–1 campaign, with their only loss coming against LSU in overtime during the regular season. Over the following weeks, a series of upsets resulted in the Crimson Tide receiving a No. 2 ranking in the final BCS Rankings to qualify for the championship game. The selection of Alabama was controversial, and decried by writers such as Rick Reilly, and by fans who claimed other opponents, most prominently the Oklahoma State Cowboys (who finished second in most of the computer rankings), were more deserving of a spot in the game. The controversy lent support to the ever-increasing call for a college football playoff and supposed SEC bias, specifically with regard to Alabama. Ironically, it was the conferences whose teams finished third and fourth (the Big 12 and the Pac-12) that had rejected the SEC's proposal for a four-team playoff in 2008. ^[9]

This game was the first time in the 14-year history of the BCS that the National Championship Game featured two teams from the same conference, let alone the same division (similar to the 2011 NCAA Division I baseball tournament six months prior featuring two teams from the SEC East division, though that came about through a playoff). This was also the first time that the BCS National Championship Game was a rematch from a regular season game, although the 1996 season's Bowl Alliance National Championship game was also a rematch, when Florida defeated Florida State 52–20 for the national title in the 1997 Sugar Bowl. As a result of the matchup, the SEC's streak of producing the BCS champion was assured of extending to six straight seasons.

Alabama

See also: 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

Alabama ranked first in rushing with 219.83 yards per game and in total defense (191.25 ypg), including scoring defense (8.83), rushing (74.92 yards per game) and passing (116.33 yards per game). Key players for the Crimson Tide were RB Trent Richardson (164.67 yards per game, 1583 rushing yards), OT Barrett Jones (Outland Trophy recipient), LB Courtney Upshaw (17 tackles for losses and 8.5 sacks), and S Mark Barron (66 total tackles, 42 solos).

LSU

See also: 2011 LSU Tigers football team

LSU ranked first in the conference in scoring offense (38.46) and second in the nation in total defense (252.08 yards). The Tigers averaged 375.31 yards per game with 215.15 yards in rushing and 160.15 yards in passing. The leaders of this team were CB Tyrann Mathieu (Chuck Bednarik Award recipient), CB Morris Claiborne (Jim Thorpe Award recipient, six interceptions for 173 yards, 1 TD and 6th overall draft pick), DE Sam Montgomery (13 tackles for loss, 9 sacks for −55 yards), WR Rueben Randle (53 receptions, 917 yards, and 8 TD's) and P Brad Wing (44.14 punt average).

Starting lineups

Selected in an NFL Draft (number corresponds to draft round)

† = 2011 All-American

Alabama	Position		LSU
Offense
Marquis Maze	WR		Rueben Randle 2
Brad Smelley 7	TE	WR	Russell Shepard
†Barrett Jones 4	LT		Chris Faulk
Chance Warmack 1	LG		Will Blackwell
William Vlachos	C		P.J. Lonergan
Alfred McCullough	RG		Josh Willford
D. J. Fluker 1	RT		Alex Hurst
Michael Williams 7	TE		DeAngelo Peterson
Darius Hanks	WR		Odell Beckham Jr. 1
A. J. McCarron 5	QB		Jordan Jefferson
†Trent Richardson 1	RB		Michael Ford
Defense
Jesse Williams 5	DE		Kendrick Adams
Josh Chapman 5	DT		Michael Brockers 1
Damion Square	DE	DT	Bennie Logan 3
Jerrell Harris	OLB	DE	Sam Montgomery 3
Dont'a Hightower 1	MLB	LOLB	Stefoin Francis
Nico Johnson 4	ILB		Kevin Minter 2
Courtney Upshaw 2	ROLB		Ryan Baker
DeQuan Menzie 5	CB		†Morris Claiborne 1
Dre Kirkpatrick 1	CB		† Tyrann Mathieu 3
†Mark Barron 1	FS		Eric Reid 1
Robert Lester	SS		Brandon Taylor 3

Game summary

Alabama won the coin toss with a call of "tails" and elected to defer their decision to the second half.

The game, largely a defensive struggle, was epitomized by LSU's first possession of the game. The Tigers fumbled the ball on the opening play and ultimately ended up punting the football to Alabama after failing to gain a first down. The rest of the first half was dominated by both defenses. Alabama got within field goal range four times and kicker Jeremy Shelley made three of his attempts to give Alabama a 9–0 lead at halftime. ^[10] LSU gained only one first down and was unable to cross the 50-yard line for the entire first half. ^[6]

The second half played out much the same as the first. Alabama's defense allowed LSU to cross the 50-yard line only once and gave up only four more first downs. ^[6] Alabama was able to add 6 more points from a couple of Shelley field goals and another 6 points on the game's only touchdown on a 34-yard rush by Heisman Trophy finalist Trent Richardson. ^[11]

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP Alabama LSU 1 5:00 5 20 1:54 Alabama 23-yard field goal by Jeremy Shelley 3 0 2 4:18 11 58 6:12 Alabama 34-yard field goal by Jeremy Shelley 6 0 2 0:00 9 52 1:59 Alabama 41-yard field goal by Jeremy Shelley 9 0 3 12:49 6 50 2:11 Alabama 35-yard field goal by Jeremy Shelley 12 0 3 0:22 6 20 3:01 Alabama 44-yard field goal by Jeremy Shelley 15 0 4 4:36 4 50 1:39 Alabama Trent Richardson 34-yard touchdown run, Jeremy Shelley kick no good (miss right) 21 0 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 21 0

Statistics

Statistics	Alabama	LSU
First Downs	21	5
Total offense, plays – yards	69–384	44–92
Rushes-yards (net)	35–150	27–39
Passing yards (net)	234	53
Passes, Comp-Att-Int	23–34–0	11–17–1
Time of Possession	35:26	24:34
Reference: [12]

See also

• Alabama–LSU football rivalry
• 2011 LSU vs. Alabama football game

References

1. Vegas Insider – College Football Betting Lines Archived December 28, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
2. Dufresne, Chris (June 13, 2009). "Rose Bowl game moving to ESPN in 2011". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
3. Gregory, Sean (January 9, 2012). "Alabama's BCS Win: A Fitting End to a Subpar Bowl Season". Time. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
4. "Alabama's D embarrasses LSU as five FGs, late TD seal national title". ESPN. Associated Press. January 9, 2012. Archived from the original on March 2, 2017. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
5. Prisbell, Eric (January 9, 2012). "BCS national championship: Alabama handles LSU 21–0 to claim title". Washington Post. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
6. "No. 2 Alabama beats No. 1 LSU 21–0 for BCS title". Sports Illustrated. January 9, 2012. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
7. Solomon, Jon (January 10, 2012) "Alabama-LSU produces third-lowest TV rating for national championship in BCS era." al.com.
8. "BCS National Championship 2012: Terrible Ratings Show BCS Got It Wrong". Bleacherreport. January 9, 2012. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
9. Wetzel, Dan (December 3, 2011). "SEC reaps reward of rejected playoff plan" . Retrieved May 13, 2013.
10. Schlabach, Mark (January 10, 2012). "This time, Shelley gets his kicks". ESPN. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
11. Barnhart, Tony (January 10, 2012). "Richardson's touchdown run in BCS title game caps illustrious career". CBSSports.com. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
12. "Alabama Crimson Tide vs. LSU Tigers – Box Score". ESPN. January 10, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2012.