LSU Vs. Alabama, 2012 BCS National Title Game: Jim McElwain Departs For Colorado State As BCS Champion With Tide's Victory

The 2012 college football season has come to an end with the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide defeating the No. 1 LSU Tigers, 21-0. The Tide will finish No. 1 in the final BCS standings, but the Associated Press poll could still pull a surprise and vote LSU as its No. 1.

Related: SB Nation's coverage of LSU Vs. Alabama BCS Title Game

Jim McElwain's Alabama offense was able punch through the Tigers' No. 2 defense, but it had to settle for mostly field goals by Jeremy Shelley. However, Trent Richardson, a projected high first round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft should he declare, ran 34 yards for a touchdown late in the game. Richardson had 96 yards on 20 carries. Quarterback A.J. McCarron was 23-of-34 for 234 yards.

The Tide's dominating No. 1 defense held the Tigers to 92 total yards of offense, and, as ESPN's broadcast after the conclusion of the game, it was the first time LSU was shutout since 2002, which was an Alabama 31-0 win.

Jim McElwain is now able to move permanently into his position as Colorado St. Rams head coach. Time to build that programmer into a winner.

For more on the BCS National Championship Game, visit Alabama blog Roll Bama Roll and LSU blog And The Valley Shook. For more on Jim McElwain and the Colorado State Rams, stick with SB Nation Denver and head over to the Mountain West Connection.

At halftime of the 2012 BCS National Championship Game, the Alabama Crimson Tide holds a 9-0 lead over the No.1 LSU Tigers. Jim McElwain, Colorado St. Rams head coach and Alabama offensive coordinator, has seen his offense dominate the Tigers' No. 2 defense to the tune of 225 total offensive yards. In the Nov. 5 contest, the Tide had 295 totals yards of offense.

However, the team has failed to punch through the goal line, having settled for three field goals (as well as a fake field goal and a blocked field goal). Quarterback A.J. McCarron directed the offense from his own 24-yard line with less than two minutes left in the half. he went 6-for-6 on the drive to set up up the 42-yard field goal Jeremy Shelley kicked.

McElwain is now just two quarters away from heading to Colorado State as a BCS champion.

For more on the BCS National Championship Game, visit Alabama blog Roll Bama Roll and LSU blog And The Valley Shook. For more on Jim McElwain and the Colorado State Rams, stick with SB Nation Denver and head over to the Mountain West Connection.

Colorado State head coach Jim McElwain is now just three quarters away from leaving the Alabama Crimson Tide as part of a National Championship team. At the end of the first quarter of the 2012 BCS National Title Game, the Crimson Tide hold a 3-0 lead over the No. 1 LSU Tigers.

McElwain's offense hasn't had a breakout moment yet, but it does own the total yards advantage, 102-28. Quarterback A.J. McCarron has thrown for 88 yards while running back Trent Richardson has just 11 yards on four carries.

The LSU offense has been stymied by the No. 1 defense in the nation with just 18 yards in the air and 10 on the ground.

For more on the BCS National Championship Game, visit Alabama blog Roll Bama Roll and LSU blog And The Valley Shook. For more on Jim McElwain and the Colorado State Rams, stick with SB Nation Denver and head over to the Mountain West Connection.

The 2011 college football season comes to an end on Monday night with the 2012 BCS National Championship Game between the No. 1 LSU Tigers and the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide. It will be a rematch of their Nov. 5 contest, which the Tigers won in overtime, 9-6.

More: SB Nation's LSU vs. Alabama Title Game coverage

For Alabama's offensive coordinator, Jim McElwain, this will be his goodbye to the program, as he leaves after the game to be the Colorado St. Rams' new head coach. He has been wearing both hats since he was hired on Dec. 13. McElwain has directed an offense that is No. 71 in passing yards (213.6) and No. 14 in rushing yards (219.8). The latter comes through the skill of Trent Richardson, a Heisman Trophy finalist who ran for 1,583 yards and 20 touchdowns entering the game.

However, this game is expected to be dominated by the defenses. Alabama allows a NCAA-low of 8.8 points per game while LSU is at No. 2 with 10.5. Given the earlier result during the 2011 game, the BCS title game might have trouble breaking 20 total combined points, possibly reminiscent of the 2011 Orange Bowl between Oklahoma and Florida State. The Sooners won, 13-2.

No matter the outcome, the SEC will hold the BCS title for a sixth straight year and for the eighth time overall since the BCS started in the 1998 season.

Game date, time: 6:30 p.m. MT, Monday, Jan. 9, 2012

Location: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, La.

TV channel: ESPN/ESPN3

Odds: LSU favored by 1 point on some lines, Alabama by 2 points on others

For more on the BCS National Championship Game, visit Alabama blog Roll Bama Roll and LSU blog And The Valley Shook. For more on Jim McElwain and the Colorado State Rams, stick with SB Nation Denver and head over to the Mountain West Connection.

The LSU Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide match up soon for the BCS National Championship Game, and it's the final hurrah for Alabama offensive coordinator Jim McElwain. He's already been hired as the new head coach of the Colorado State Rams, so this presents his final challenge as a member of the Crimson Tide. Presumably, he's looking to end his career there on a high note.

More: SB Nation's LSU vs. Alabama Title Game coverage

At the moment, Alabama is actually favored by one point to win the game, according to our partners over at Odds Shark. This is a change from the opening line, when LSU was favored by 1.5 points. The current over/under for the game, which is being played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, is set at 40 points, which is the same figure that it opened at.

For more on the BCS National Championship Game, visit Alabama blog Roll Bama Rolland LSU blog And The Valley Shook. For more on Jim McElwain and the Colorado State Rams, stick with SB Nation Denver and head over to the Mountain West Connection.

Future Colorado State Rams head coach Jim McElwain is getting set for one more shot at the LSU tigers in the BCS National Championship game. In their first meeting, McElwain's offense was only able to must 6 points against the LSU defense and having pull double duty as the CSU head coach doesn't making preparing for the second go around much easier, having to make some of his recruiting calls late into the night.

Jim McElwain says balancing CSU job and Bama has "been difficult from a time standpoint."

— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) January 5, 2012

More: SB Nation's LSU vs. Alabama Title Game coverage

As for Alabama's offense the first time against LSU, running back Trent Richardson doesn't seem to think he had a poor game the first time. "People say I didn't play good?" Richardson, who had 169 total yards in the first meeting, quipped. "Look at the stats." Richardson also had high praise for McElwain as an offensive coordinator, calling him a "genius". Richardson isn't looking for the re-match with LSU to be like some of the games we've seen in the last few nights, however. "I don't want to be in a track meet, scoring time after time," said Richardson. "That can get boring."

For more on the BCS National Championship Game, visit Alabama blog Roll Bama Roll and LSU blog And The Valley Shook. For more on Jim McElwain and the Colorado State Rams, stick with SB Nation Denver and head over to the Mountain West Connection.

While the rematch of LSU vs. Alabama in the 2012 BCS National Championship Game is expected to be another defensive struggle (LSU defeated Alabama in November, 9-6, in overtime), one difference-maker could be future NFL first-round draft pick Trent Richardson. The running back should go over 1,600 yards on the ground and will have at least 20 rushing touchdowns when his junior season ends.

More: SB Nation's LSU vs. Alabama Title Game coverage

ESPN Insider Todd McShay has this to say about Richardson, his No. 4 overall player in the draft:

Richardson is clearly the top running back in the 2012 class -- and one of the highest-rated backs in recent years -- thanks to an elite combination of size, speed, power, balance and vision.

And fellow Insider Mel Kiper writes:

Richardson's splitting carries in his first two seasons will benefit him. Powerful, fast and with improved vision, he runs with good pad level and breaks tackles with ease.

Alabama offensive coordinator and Colorado St. Rams head coach McElwain will be able to some recruiting for the Rams simply by having Richardson attack the LSU defense throughout the game. In the final weeks of recruiting, McElwain will be able to tell his recruiting targets that they, too, could be turned into future college and NFL stars (though the latter must wait for Richardson).

It's not going to be easy for McElwain to revive the Colorado State football program, but he'll likely bring his SEC heritage to the school.

For more on the BCS National Championship Game, visit Alabama blog Roll Bama Roll and LSU blog And The Valley Shook. For more on Jim McElwain and the Colorado State Rams, stick with SB Nation Denver and head over to the Mountain West Connection.