College Football, Alabama Crimson Tide | featured news

Notre Dame’s impressive win on the road against Oklahoma Saturday meant the Irish should be considered BCS championship contenders with just a month or so left in this 2012 college football regular season. Confirmation of that was unveiled Sunday night in the latest BCS standings when the Irish, previously ranked No. 5 in the BCS, jumped up two spots to take the No. 3 ranking.

Fans of college football already knew that the Southeastern Conference is the nation's most dominant, even before the SEC claimed its sixth consecutive Bowl Championship Series title as Alabama crushed LSU 21-0.

Jeremy Shelley kicked five field goals and Trent Richardson broke a 34-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter as No. 2 Alabama beat No. 1 LSU 21-0 on Monday night - the first shutout in BCS title game history....

LSU did its part to make sure both the Tigers and Alabama get into the BCS national title game. Then Oklahoma State gave the voters a reason to rethink the rematch. The top-ranked Tigers locked up a spot in the championship on Jan. 9 in New Orleans with a 42-10 victory against No. 12 Georgia in the Southeastern Conference title game in Atlanta on Saturday.

No. 1 LSU gained the inside track to the BCS title game, beating No. 2 Alabama 9-6 on Drew Alleman's 25-yard field goal in overtime after a fierce defensive struggle in which neither team reached the end zone Saturday night.

LSU and Alabama are the top two teams in the country one month before their game in Tuscaloosa. The SEC West rivals held the first two spots in The Associated Press college football poll released Sunday as the second-ranked Crimson Tide jumped past No. 3 Oklahoma.

Oklahoma is No. 1 in The Associated Press preseason college football poll for the 10th time, edging Alabama for the top spot.

When the latest edition of the super heavyweight rivalry between Alabama and Florida was over, the two star coaches met at midfield for a handshake, a pat on the back and a few quick words.

Although its Heisman Trophy rusher Mark Ingram was injured and defensive lineman Marcell Dareus was suspended, the top-ranked Crimson Tide cruised past Penn State.

Crimson Tide will be up to the task and repeat as national champions.