Just as boxing had Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, college football has Les Miles and Nick Saban, and the 10th installment of their heavyweight battle occurs Saturday night in a game that once again will feel like a title fight.
This is more than two coaches battling it out for supremacy in the SEC, though the winner of Alabama-LSU has represented the West Division in the SEC championship game in seven of the past 10 seasons. (LSU with Miles in 2005, ’07 and ’11; Alabama in 2008, ’09, ’12 and ’14 under Saban).
There’s also great irony, which leads to great drama, below the surface.