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| LSU |
"If we can not play this game at Tiger Stadium, the only place I would choose is this," said LSU offensive guard Will Blackwell.
Both Southeastern Conference rivals arrived in New Orleans in order to win the first game by the BCS championship in history that teams face the same league.
For Alabama, it was a short flight, with a band receiving the Crimson Tide (11-1) to get off the plane, while someone shouted "let Tide" when coach Nick Saban spoke to reporters.
But that was unobtrusive, compared to the band and more than about 100 enthusiastic fans and the large stuffed tiger that LSU was found in a downtown hotel, which remained despite having to wait 40 extra minutes because to a mechanical problem in one of the buses when the Tigers went from Baton Rouge but not to exceed 60 miles per hour.
"Devera you feel the attachment to this city," said LSU coach Les Miles.
"One would think that a reception like this will go down but this will continue throughout the week."
A Miles not worried that his players will go to his head. After all, LSU (13-0) has won the SEC championship and defeated Alabama in his own gridiron.
"I think they know how to eliminate distractions," said Miles.
Visiting New Orleans also was the goal of Alabama during the entire campaign.
"This is a special place, is a special city for our teams is a special opportunity to play against an outstanding team of LSU," Saban said.
"As far as competition is concerned, this game will be as many."
The regular season meeting between the rivals of the SEC West was in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, a fierce battle won by the Tigers 9-6 in overtime.
"In that game we try to focus primarily on the technical aspects of things we could have done better, perhaps from a schematic point of view or of performance," said Saban.
