LSU vs. Alabama (Nicklaus vs. Lester), why it matters

The refs may have to get in between the coaches in this one.
LSU may go for it on 4-and-8 at their 40 in this one.
It's that intense.
Saturday's game is LSU vs. Alabama, but everyone knows it's even more about Nick Saban and Les Miles. No matter what the coaches say, it's Nicklaus vs. Lester. The LSU faithful will hate Les if he loses to Alabama, especially with the LSU West crown at stake (even though bettors well know 'Bama will lose to Auburn) Alas, it is what it is. The comparisons are plenty, including the fact that Saban won the SEC in his second year at LSU, but something has to be said about the competition each faced in the SEC. When Saban was at LSU he profited from a weak Alabama team for about 5 years, feasting on them to a 4-1 record (the one loss? LSU was thrashed 31-0). Auburn wasn't nearly as weak though. They always gave one year and tooketh the next (and that trend has continued under Lester Miles), but the Florida squads, coached by Steve Spurrier in the first two years of Saban's tenure, blew out LSU and only when Ron Zook took command did LSU make a game and victory out it as Saban went 2-1 down the stretch. In fairness to Saban, Tennessee was what LSU is now in the SEC, an up-and-coming monster perennial No. 2 power (Florida 's No.1, sorry, usurping 'Bama's throne), but if we look at Saban and Miles' records against the big four, you'll clearly see that there's not alot of slippage. Even in 2003, when LSU won it all it was a "gravy year" (when all the tough games are at home). And 2007? Yep, you guessed it. It's a gravy year.

Records against the BIG FOUR: ALABAMA, AUBURN, FLORIDA, TENNESSEE

SABAN'S TENURE
2000 (2-2)
17-24 Auburn L
9-41 @Florida L
30-28 ALABAMA W
38-31 TENN W

2001 (2-2)
15-44 FLORIDA L
18-26TENN L
35-21 @ALABAMA W
27-14 @AUBURN W

2002 (1-2)
36-7 @FLORIDA W
31-7@ AUBURN L
31-0 ALABAMA L

2003 (2-1)
7-19 FLORIDA L
31-7 AUBURN W
27-3 @ALABAMA W

2004 (2-1)
10-9 @AUBURN L
24-21 @FLORIDA W
26-10 ALABAMA W

MILES' TENURE
2005 (3-1)
30-27 TENN L
16-13@ ALABAMA W
20-17 AUBURN W
21-17 FLORIDA W

2006 (2-2)
3-7@ AUBURN L
23-10 @FLORIDA L
28-24 @TENN W
28-14 ALABAMA W


Miles is

2007
28-24 FLORIDA W
30-24 AUBURN W
??? ALABAMA