TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The "Game of the Century" had no touchdowns, but it had a very happy ending for LSU.  Drew Alleman kicked a 25-yard field goal in overtime to give the No. 1 Tigers a 9-6 victory over No. 2 Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium Saturday night in the biggest regular season game in the history of both programs.  "It definitely didn't go by script," LSU coach Les Miles said. "The most interesting thing is that you have to keep fighting and finding a way to win. This was a great night. Tough football."  The Crimson Tide (8-1, 5-1 Southeastern Conference) had the ball first in overtime but failed miserably with two incomplete passes by quarterback A.J. McCarron, a five-yard penalty for having 12 players in the huddle and a sack of McCarron by defensive end Sam Montgomery. This put the Tide back on the LSU 35-yard line and facing a fourth and 20. Cade Foster, who had already missed three field goals short, then missed a 52-yard field goal, and he wasn't even close.  LSU erupted on the sideline, knowing it needed only a field goal for the huge victory. After reaching inside the 10-yard line, LSU elected to kick it on third down.  "All week I was preparing for this kick," Alleman said. "Every kicker dreams of it. I got to live it."  The Tigers (9-0, 6-0 SEC) were stifled for most of the game regardless of whether Jarrett Lee, who threw two interceptions, or Jordan Jefferson was at quarterback. LSU was able to tie the game 6-6 with 14:13 to go in the fourth quarter on a 30-yard field goal by Alleman only because of their defense. Cornerback Morris Claiborne intercepted Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron at midfield and returned it 33 yards to the Crimson Tide 15 late in the third quarter. Four plays later, Alleman booted his kick true with 14:13 still to play in regulation.  Alabama looked like it was about to score the only touchdown of the game with just over 11 minutes to play in the game when tight end Michael Williams broke open deep on a first down flea flicker play from the LSU 28. Wide receiver Marquis Maze took a pitch from McCarron on a reverse and spotted Williams, but he underthrew him. LSU safety Eric Reid caught up and wrestled the ball away for an interception.  "We didn't finish the play," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "Their guy did a good job of recovering and did a good job to get to the ball."  Reid saw Williams break open just in time.  "I got my hands on it first," he said. "Then he tried to take it away, but I got it back."  LSU could not move and was forced to put from its 9, but Brad Wing delivered a 73-yard boot to the Alabama 18-yard line. Neither team mounted a serious threat after that in regulation.  "The two interceptions by Reid and Claiborne," Miles said. "There's the punt by Wing. Our defense was tremendous tonight. It was the difference in the game. The turnovers were huge."  It was 3-3 at the half as Jeremy Shelley put Alabama up 3-0 late in the second quarter on a 34-yard field goal and Alleman booted a 19 yarder as time expired at the half. Alabama went up 6-3 on a 46-yard field goal by Foster midway in the third quarter.  The Crimson Tide struggled at placekicking all night as it squandered three scoring opportunities in the red zone in the first half with botched field goal attempts following critical losses on running plays, adding to each kick's degree of difficulty.  Foster missed a 44-yard attempt on Alabama's first possession, ruining an 18-yard run by tailback Trent Richardson on the first play of the game and a 22-yard completion from McCarron to Richardson on the next play. On first down from the LSU 30, middle linebacker Kevin Minter nailed Richardson for a 5-yard loss, and the Tide never recovered.  Foster missed a 50-yard attempt on its next possession after Reid caught tailback Eddie Lacy for a 6-yard loss back to the 33-yard line.  Alabama did not redeem another opportunity early in the second quarter with the score still 0-0. Safety Robert Lester picked off Lee's first interception since week three at the Alabama 47, and McCarron found wide receiver Darius Hanks for 19 yards to the LSU 34. A 10-yard run by Richardson gave Alabama a first down at the LSU 24, but wide receiver Marquis Maze tripped on a reverse for a 6-yard loss. Then defensive end Sam Montgomery sacked McCarron for a yard loss, and Jeremy Shelley came on to try a 49-yard field goal.  Sophomore defensive tackled Bennie Logan blocked it, and Reid returned it 26 yards to the Alabama 48. Jefferson replaced Lee, but the Tigers could not sustain a drive and punted. Alabama finally took a 3-0 lead with 3:53 to go before halftime on a 34-yard field goal by Shelley.  LSU mounted its first decent drive of the game behind Jefferson in the final minutes of the second quarter. Ford gained 33 yards on four carries, and Jefferson found wide receiver Russell Shepard on a 34-yard pass for a first down at the 8-yard line. The Tigers reached a first and goal at the Alabama 2-yard line after a holding call against Alabama. But after a Jefferson incompletion and a no-gain rush by Ware and with the clock down to two seconds remaining, LSU settled for a 19-yard field goal by Alleman and 3-3 tie at the half.  "We had a lot of opportunities that we didn't take advantage of," Saban said. "But I actually think that was a heck of a football game."  "It was an awesome game. This should've been on pay-per-view," Montgomery said.  "Not necessarily a pretty game," Miles said, "but it had a nice ending."  There could be one more ending in New Orleans at the BCS national championship game in January if LSU finishes out.  "We're not even thinking about New Orleans yet," Claiborne said.
The Tigers gained the inside track to the BCS title game by knocking off the Tide 9-6 in Tuscaloosa on Drew Alleman's field goal.