FOOTBALL

has going.

“There were runs something like this but this may be the best of all of them so far in the history of football,” he said.

Alabama has appeared in 100 percent of all polls taken. Oklahoma 96.94 percent. LSU 93.88 percent.

Alabama-LSU has lost some of its sizzle lately, with the Tide winning the last five meetings. But the rivalry between teams Saban led to national titles also produced the so-called “Game of the Century,” a 1 vs. 2 showdown won 9-6 by LSU in overtime in 2011. The teams met in a rematch in the national-title game, dominated by Alabama 21-0. Three of the meetings this decade have been decided by four points or less and two have gone into overtime.

Fast-paced offenses have become practically the norm, with mobile quarterbacks swiftly calling plays to keep defenses off-balance and spread the field. Double-threats like Newton, Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel, Oregon’s Marcus Mariota and Baylor’s Robert Griffin III have won the Heisman and Clemson’s Deshaun Watson was a finalist last season — before chewing up the Tide’s defense for 478 total yards in a title game shootout.