My friends, our Fighting Tigers have a rendezvous with destiny. In the heart of the Crescent City, the fate of a historic season hangs in the balance. No. 1-ranked LSU (13-0, 8-0 SEC) once again meets its nemesis, No. 2-ranked Alabama (11-1, 7-1 SEC) this Monday evening in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, just blocks away from the banks of the mighty Mississippi River in the city's Central Business District.

At stake is more than rebeating Bama. More than the shimmering crystal ball trophy. More than the most spectacular season in recent memory. At stake is nothing less than college football immortality.

Immortality, of course, only comes with greatness. True greatness only comes with defeating the forces of evil. Since the dawn of civilization, therefore, epic tales of greatness pit good against evil. This BCS Championship Game is no different.

On one side we have our LSU Tigers led by the incomparable Les Miles. This LSU team, with its bayou-bred athletes and determined swagger, is the beacon of hope in college football. LSU is a shining city on a hill with Coach Miles beaming proudly on top. These Tigers appeal to our most virtuous optimism, to our confidence, and to our hearts. Simply stated, LSU is good.

On the other side is Alabama, the evil empire of the sport we love. Armed with a breathtaking sense of entitlement, the Crimson Tide is all that stands between the Tigers and majestic glory. Regrettably, Alabama shares much in common with the world's most tyrannical, evil regimes. Start with that shade of crimson red. Red has always been favored as a color of fear and repression. From the Nazis, to the communist Soviets, to red China, red is associated with those who seek to destroy what is good and honorable in this world.

Such evil intentions have roots in a severely misguided sense of entitlement, and that unfortunate belief is now emanating from the state of Alabama.

Then there's Alabama's dictator, Nick Saban. Ruling with an iron fist, Saban harkens back to the many brutal leaders before him who employed fear to maintain power. It bears repeating that Nick Saban is the perfect college football villain. He's an egomaniac. He's paranoid. He's short. He's insecure. He rules through fear because, deep down, he's the one who's scared -- probably of himself.

Another chapter in the struggle between good and evil will be written in the Superdome four short days from now. Will good prevail? Will the Tigers triumph over the Tide and secure their third national championship since 2003? In no particular order, the following factors offer a glimpse down LSU's destined path to perfection:

-- LSU freshman running back Kenny Hilliard had two carries for two yards against Alabama on November 5. Since that victory in Tuscaloosa, Hilliard has emerged as a bruising, yet shifty running back who gains key yardage late in the game. In other words, in addition to its stable of solid running backs, LSU has found a brand new back since the teams met in early November.

-- Les Miles called a conservative game against Bama the first go-round and it worked. Nick Saban threw the kitchen sink at LSU and it failed. On Monday night in the Dome, Miles will play to win and reveal to Alabama what happens when the Tigers are uncaged. Plus, Alabama is evil.

-- The Honey Badger. He was almost non-existent on November 5 coming off his one-game suspension. Since then he's played a more mature style of football without losing his tenaciousness. He's also emerged as one of the country's most dangerous punt returners. Bama must pick its poison and punt to #7 or kick away from him and sacrifice valuable field position.

-- LSU beat Bama on November 5 in a loud and hostile Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Superdome, in contrast, is the Tigers' second home. Its friendly confines will be a far cry from the partisan Alabama crowd that failed to propel the Tide to victory nine weeks ago.

-- The quick Superdome surface favors LSU's speed on both sides of the ball, not to mention special teams. Yes, Alabama will also be faster on the field turf, but LSU is good, and Bama is evil.

-- Reflecting their coach's personality, LSU's players will have fun and play loose on the big stage. Alabama's players will play tight, fearful of making a mistake and drawing the ire of their mean little coach.

-- Finally, LSU knows it can beat Bama. Bama hopes it can beat LSU.

In short, LSU has improved since beating Bama the first time and the intangibles favor the Tigers. The biggest intangible of all also points to an LSU victory: destiny.

We know good prevails over evil. We know this not only because of our faith or because we, as Americans, believe in the fundamental goodness and perseverance of the human spirit. We know good defeats evil because Daniel LaRusso beat Johnny and the Cobra Kai dojo thugs in "The Karate Kid," Luke Skywalker and the rebellion overcame the Dark Side in "Star Wars," and Superman staved off Lex Luthor and those weird superhero guys from Krypton in "Superman II."

My friends, our Fighting Tigers have a rendezvous with destiny. They will meet their destiny and preserve for us the last best hope for college football, or Alabama's evil empire will drag us down into a pit of darkness and despair. Whatever the outcome, let the Bayou Bengals know that they were justified in their brilliant moments this season, and let us thank them for their efforts. They did all that could be done.

Prediction:

LSU 20
Alabama 10

Geaux Tigers!