No. 1 Versus No. 2

Top-ranked LSU and No. 2 Alabama face off on November 5 in one of the biggest regular season games in college football history.

The two SEC West powerhouses occupy the top spots in all three major polls, and the winner of this contest will become the odds-on favorite to win college football’s national championship.

Since the Associated Press begin its poll in 1936, the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams in the nation have met 43 times – with the top-ranked team posting a 24-17-2 mark. However, the No. 2 team has won four of the last five match-ups.

Take a look …

Dec. 5, 2009 – No. 2 Alabama def. No. 1 Florida 32-13 (SEC Championship)
Jan. 8, 2009 – No. 1 Florida def. No. 2 Oklahoma 24-14 (BCS Title)
Dec. 6, 2008 – No. 2 Florida def. No. 1 Alabama 31-20 (SEC Championship)
Jan. 7, 2008 – No. 2 LSU def. No. 1 Ohio State 38-24 (BCS Title)
Jan. 8, 2007 – No. 2 Florida def. No. 1 Ohio State 41-14 (BCS Title)
Nov. 18, 2006 – No. 1 Ohio State def. No. 2 Michigan 42-39
Sept. 9, 2006 – No. 1 Ohio State def. No. 2 Texas 24-7
Jan. 4, 2006 – No. 2 Texas def. No. 1 Southern Cal 41-38 (Rose)
Jan. 4, 2005 – No. 1 USC def. No. 2 Oklahoma 55-19 (Orange)
Jan. 3, 2003 – No. 2 Ohio State def. No. 1 Miami (Fla.) 31-24 (2OT – Fiesta)
Jan. 4, 2000 – No. 1 Florida State def. No. 2 Virginia Tech 46-29 (Sugar)
Jan. 4, 1999 – No. 1 Tennessee def. No. 2 Florida State 23-16 (Fiesta)
Nov. 30, 1996 – No. 2 Florida State def. No. 1 Florida 24-21
Jan. 2, 1996 – No. 1 Nebraska def. No. 2 Florida 62-24 (Fiesta)
Jan. 1, 1994 – No. 1 Florida State def. No. 2 Nebraska 18-16 (Orange)
Nov. 13, 1993 – No. 2 Notre Dame def. No. 1 Florida State 31-24
Jan. 1, 1993 – No. 2 Alabama def. No. 1 Miami (Fla.) 34-13 (Sugar)
Nov. 16, 1991 – No. 2 Miami (Fla.) def. No. 1 Florida State 17-16
Sept. 16, 1989 – No. 1 Notre Dame def. No. 2 Michigan 24-19
Nov. 26, 1988 – No. 1 Notre Dame def. No. 2 USC 27-10
Jan. 1, 1988 – No. 2 Miami (Fla.) def. No. 1 Oklahoma 20-16 (Orange)
Nov. 21, 1987 – No. 2 Oklahoma def. No. 1 Nebraska 17-7
Jan. 2, 1987 – No. 2 Penn State def. No. 1 Miami (Fla.) 14-10 (Fiesta)
Sept. 27, 1986 – No. 2 Miami (Fla.) def. No. 1 Oklahoma 28-16
Oct. 19, 1985 – No. 1 Iowa def. No. 2 Michigan 12-10
Jan. 1, 1983 – No. 2 Penn State def. No. 1 Georgia 27-23 (Sugar)
Sept. 26, 1981 – No. 1 USC def. No. 2 Oklahoma 38-24
Jan. 1, 1979 – No. 2 Alabama def. No. 1 Penn State 14-7 (Sugar)
Jan. 1, 1972 – No. 1 Nebraska def. No. 2 Alabama 37-6 (Orange)
Nov. 25, 1971 – No. 1 Nebraska def. No. 2 Oklahoma 35-31
Dec. 6, 1969 – No. 1 Texas def. No. 2 Arkansas 15-14
Jan. 1, 1969 – No. 1 Ohio State def. No. 2 USC 27-16 (Rose)
Sept. 28, 1968 – No. 1 Purdue def. No. 2 Notre Dame 37-22
Nov. 19, 1966 – No. 1 Notre Dame tied No. 2 Michigan State 0-0
Jan. 1, 1964 – No. 1 Texas def. No. 2 Navy 28-6 (Cotton)
Oct. 12, 1963 – No. 2 Texas def. No. 1 Oklahoma 28-7
Jan. 1, 1963 – No. 1 USC def. No. 2 Wisconsin 42-37 (Rose)
Nov. 9, 1946 – No. 1 Army tied No. 2 Notre Dame 0-0
Dec. 1, 1945 – No. 1 Army def. No. 2 Navy 32-13
Nov. 10, 1945 – No. 1 Army def. No. 2 Notre Dame 48-0
Dec. 2, 1944 – No. 1 Army def. No. 2 Navy 23-7
Nov. 20, 1943 – No. 1 Notre Dame def. No. 2 Iowa Pre-Flight 14-13
Oct. 9, 1943 – No. 1 Notre Dame def. No. 2 Michigan 35-12

Obviously, that list doesn’t include all of the BCS national championship games. In those contests, No. 1 teams enjoy a 7-6 advantage over second-ranked squads, including a pair of national championship wins for LSU following the 2003 and 2007 seasons.

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