It All Comes Down To This...

RUTS I is rounding the final turn and heading down the home stretch. It's Conference title week!

The #2 Clemson Tigers look to be all but a lock to wrap up their 5th consecutive ACC title tonight, as they play the Virginia Cavaliers in the conference title game in Tampa. A victory secures the Tigers a birth in the BCS National title game for the 5th consecutive season.

And, for the 10th time in RUTS I history, the LSU Tigers and the Florida Gators do battle on the gridiron. #1 LSU enters the game on a roll after navigating through a gauntlet of a schedule. The Tigers have defeated the current #2 team (Clemson), #3 team (FSU), #4 team (Bama), #5 team (FL), #6 team (Texas), and #7 team (Oregon) in the BCS standings, a feat that hasn't been accomplished since Bill Walsh invented the game of football in 1993. But all of those big wins will be for naught if the Tigers do the unthinkable, and choke away a 4th consecutive BCS title game birth at the end of the season.

"We're treating this like a regular game," said LSU head coach UTVOL54. "A regular game for all the marbles, the SEC title, all pride and man-hood, against our arch nemesis, for a shot to win a national championship in the final season of RUTS I. No pressure!"

LSU's cool, calm, and collected QB Jordan Jefferson quickly stepped to the mic and soothed his head coach with a hug and said "we will be ready for a battle. We'll have to bring our A game, as always, but this is our time, our destiny, our storybook ending. We will hit them late [and in the balls after the whistle] if necessary. Eye for an eye, groin for a groin!"

The #5 Gators were hoping to be in the national title picture as well. Although they have climbed back into the Top 5, it seems like they are resigned to the role of spoiler, a role which has served Coach Stu and the Florida program very well against LSU for the past 3 seasons. In Season 2, Coach Stu's Miami team ran roughshot over the Tigers in Miami in week 14, Florida defeated LSU by 6 in Coach robtheblob51's final game as head coach at Florida, and then last season, in his first in the Jorts capital of the world, Coach Stu used his mojo to upset the Tigers.

Tonight's showdown will also crown the Ultimate SEC Champion, as both LSU and Florida have 2 SEC titles to their credit. Tonight's game will break that tie.

Coach Stu has given his team the week off in preparations for this game, stating that all of the pressure is on LSU, and his team can relax, enjoy the atmosphere, and come away with a victory. Upon arriving in Atlanta last night, the team went straight to the team hotel and had a movie night, watching the new "Star Trek" movie. Coach Stu tweeted that the movie was "excellent," then headed to the hotel's business center to check on his current Ebay bids.

Although Stu's methods for game preparation may appear questionable to the football gurus of the world, there is no denying that his team will be ready to play.

The Game Behind the Game: How They Impact The BCS Race
As the other 3 RUTS teams take to the field, Coach cjohnchavis and his Seminoles will be on the edge of their seats, and be decked out in blue and orange. A Florida or Virginia victory could send the #3 Seminoles to the BCS title game. If somehow, both Florida and Virgina pull the upsets, the Gators could wind up in the BCA title game as well, but with 3 losses that appears to be a long shot.

Some analysts have speculated that even if LSU (12-0) loses tonight, the Tigers might not fall further than the #2 spot, still assuring them a birth in the BCS title game. No other team in the Top 7 has fewer than 2 losses, so it could be likely that if LSU loses, a 1-loss Tiger team would remain ahead of each of the 2-loss teams that they've already defeated this season, including #3 FSU.

If LSU defeats Florida, then things appear to be pretty settled, but if the Gators come out on top, look for all of the RUTS coaches and teams to be waiting eagerly on the edge of their seats, biting their nails, as the BCS bowl births are announced.