I'm hearing more and more grumblings from the talk radio gasbags about the possibility of a split title if Bama wins on 1/9. I'm sure you've all heard the same blabber, along the lines of "Bama might be the BCS national champion, but the AP could still vote LSU #1." First of all, let me acknowledge that that possibility does absolutely, positively exist. The AP, although totally irrelevant to the BCS process, is free to vote whomever they choose as their national champion, and if LSU loses a close game, the AP MIGHT do that. But LSU better not accept it. Here's why.... Let me take you back to the end of the 2003 regular season. Oklahoma was undefeated, and #1 in the BCS. LSU was #2, with only a road loss to Florida. USC was #3, with only a triple-overtime road loss to Cal. LSU beat Georgia in the SEC title game, but then a funny thing happened...Oklahoma, who was being trumpeted as being among "the greatest teams of all time", not only lost to an 8-3 Kansas State, but got royally SMOKED like a blunt, 35-7. USC is now #1 in both the AP and the Coaches Poll, so it's LSU vs. USC for all the marbles, right? Uhhh, no. It's STILL LSU vs. Oklahoma. Outrage ensued. LSU beat Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl (aka BCS title game), and USC thumped Michigan resoundingly in the Rose Bowl. Sure, LSU was the BCS champion, but the AP poll rebelled, and stuck with their guns, and voted USC their champion. Depending on whom you believe, the AP poll was either kicked out of the BCS process, or asked to be removed...either way, the Harris poll was born. So, 2003 resulted in a split title....unless you ask, oh, I don't know....ANY LSU FAN. I have lived among LSU people, gone to college and law school with several, and currently work with some, and NOT ONE will acknowledge that USC has any legitimate claim to any championship in 2003. The way they see it, the BCS championship is the ONLY championship, and they won that game, so THEY were champions that year. No ifs, ands or buts, and CERTAINLY no recognition of USC as anything other than an also-ran. Okey, dokey. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. So unless they are willing to now, 8 years later, acknowledge that USC was every bit the champion that they were, then they better be willing to play by the rules that they have so fervently clung to since 2003. They may well beat Bama again on 1/9...but if they don't, regardless of what happened on 11/5, then WE are champions, and they are nothing but an also-ran. End of story, no ifs, ands or buts.