Commentary

LSU can beat Bama with the pass

The Tigers will have opportunities to attack Alabama's D through the air

Updated: January 6, 2012, 2:30 PM ET

By KC Joyner | ESPN Insider

We all know that Les Miles is the kind of coach who has a seemingly endless supply of trickeration plays, and once went for it on fourth down five times in a single contest.

As gutsy as Miles has been in the past, the true test of his risk-taking prowess could occur in the LSU Tigers' upcoming BCS title game matchup against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Alabama's defense is so good that it currently leads the NCAA in scoring defense, passing defense, rushing defense and total defense. It would seem that facing a defense of that caliber would cause Miles to do like he did in the first contest between these two teams and scale back his riverboat gambler mentality.

After reviewing the game tapes and crunching some numbers, however, it becomes clear that there is a risk-taking path Miles can take in this game: throwing vertical passes against the Alabama secondary.

To read more on how LSU has an advantage over Alabama in the passing game, sign up for ESPN Insider.