Chris Stewart Sports

9:45 p.m. CST - Anybody else smell corn dogs, or is it just me?

I'm here. A quick six hours after leaving Birmingham, I've arrived at the team hotel in Baton Rouge. We'll talk more about keys to the game tomorrow morning before kickoff, but I'll tell you that I feel much the same about this game as I did the matchup with Georgia.

Now, don't take that to mean I'm predicting a 31-0 halftime lead, because that wasn't at all what I had forecast for Athens, either.

My thinking that week was very simple: Georgia and Alabama went to overtime a year ago before the Bulldogs came away with a victory. I didn't think UGA was much better than they had been the year before, yet there was no question how much the Crimson Tide had improved. That led me to believe Alabama would find a way to win. 

That's the same approach I'm taking to this contest. The Tigers are still one of the nation's most talented teams, yet I don't think they are anywhere close to being as dominant as they were at times last season. Meanwhile, clearly, the 2008 edition of the Tide is a better squad than the one that led LSU with 7:00 to play in 2007.

I'll have my picks tomorrow morning. Sleep well.

2:15 p.m. CST - On the road to Red Stick...

Wish me luck. I'm about to get on the road to Baton Rouge. For those of you who remember the Athens trip, YES, I have pulled up the directions on MapQuest and feel very confident of my chances in finding the team hotel. I'll check in with you once I have arrived.

Safe travels to all of you who are heading down as well.

Roll Tide!!!