Can LSU Lose to Alabama and Still Be National Champion?

LSU and Alabama play Monday night in the BCS Championship game.

The winner of that game will get the crystal football symbolic of the BCS Champion.

But the Associated Press, which has nothing to do with the BCS, will vote after the game as well, and there are many writers who will consider voting for LSU to be the champion, even if they lose.

There have been "split" national championships before.  The last was after the 2003 season, when the AP voted USC #1, even though they didn't play in the championship game.  LSU won the BCS title that year, beating Oklahoma.

There have been other split championships as well, but not in the BCS era.

No team has won the national championship in the BCS era after losing in the BCS title game.

To read what some of the AP writers have to say about voting LSU #1, click here.