Sugar Bowl Picks  

Walter:

LSU -8.5 over Notre Dame

Easy one. Notre Dame has layed an egg in every big game they've had this season (Michigan and USC), and they needed miracle comebacks to avoid laying one in their next two biggest games (UCLA and Michigan St.). True Notre Dame has some offensive talent, but their defense is pathetic, especially in the secondary. LSU has had trouble running the ball at times this year, but the constant has been Jamarcus Russell. Their passing game is their best offensive unit featuring Russell (a likely top 10 pick when he comes out) as well as two potential first round WR in Craig Davis and Dwayne Bowe. I don't see any way that the Notre Dame secondary slows these guys down. The Irish cannot match up man to man with LSU, and Russell has too much arm strength to let the Irish beat him with a zone. On the other side of the ball, LSU is by far the best defense the Irish have faced this year, and may be the best in the nation. Notre Dame has had trouble protecting Brady Quinn all year and I doubt that will change tonight. LSU's defensive line is too good, and their defensive backs, led by Laron Landry, are too big and athletic to be susceptible to the patented Brady Quinn-Jeff Samardzjia jump ball. It's LSU in a route. Call it 43-20.

Overall Bowl Record: 13-15

Frazier:

LSU -8.5 over Notre Dame

The Tigers could score a hundred points in this one. They just won't need to. Notre Dame has played two good teams all season, and were totally wiped out by them. No one, and I mean no one, is playing better than LSU right now. Even Ohio St. doesn't want a piece of them. Notre Dame's defense simply cannot stop anyone, and their offense can definitely be stopped. LSU has played some excellent teams, and has some very nice wins on the year. Notre Dame has ZERO impressive wins. They are wholly undeserving to be on the same field as LSU, and they are getting pasted. Last year they crashed the BCS when they shouldn't have and got destroyed. Remember when they crashed the BCS against Oregon St. Yeah, they got completely fucked up. Well, it's happening again. An overrated Notre Dame is taken behind the woodshed, 45-24.

Overall Bowl Record: 11-17