Tonight is the last of the 35 bowls this season and is the "national championship" game as voted by a select number of NCAA FBS coaches, a long list of voters in the Harris Poll and a few "computer" models. The game tonight is a rematch of the game earlier this season between the University of Alabama and Louisiana State University, both of the SEC. So let's take a look at the basic numbers from the NCAA FBS production model to get a fix on tonight's game.
This season the Louisiana State University Tigers are 13-0 and the NCAA FBS production model's measure of their strength of schedule (SOS) was equal to 58.54. LSU's best win was against currently ranked #1 Alabama, and they do not have a worst loss. To date, the Tigers are the #3 ranked team overall, with the #7 ranked offense and the #4 ranked defense.
The Alabama Crimson Tide are 11-1 with a strength of schedule equal to 61.00. Alabama's best win was against currently ranked #27 Arkansas, and their worst loss was against currently ranked #3 LSU. To date, the Crimson Tide are the #1 ranked team overall, with the #19 ranked offense and the #1 ranked defense.
The NCAA FBS production model ranks Alabama better than LSU, and hence expect Alabama to win the BCS National Championship Bowl today.