Daily Herald experts pick BCS champion

Lindsey Willhite says: If tonight's game were scheduled on a neutral field, I'd like to think top-ranked Ohio State could hang within a touchdown of No. 2 LSU. But the Tigers have an ungodly success rate when playing in front of their gold pompon-waving fans at the Superdome. In the 2002 Sugar Bowl, underdog LSU ripped out to a 27-0 lead against Illinois on its way to a 47-34 victory, and it wasn't that close. In the 2004 Sugar Bowl that served as the national title game, LSU knocked off top-ranked Oklahoma 21-14. In last year's Sugar Bowl, the Tigers abused Notre Dame to the tune of a 41-14 beating. Buckeyes tailback Beanie Wells will do his best to keep his team close -- similar to the way Arkansas' Darren McFadden shredded the Tigers -- but LSU will have a field day against Ohio State's defense.

Willhite's pick: LSU 38, Ohio State 24.

Adam Rittenberg says: At first, this looks like a bayou blowout. LSU has edges in both speed and talent, and the title game will be played just 80 miles from its campus in Baton Rouge. But all season, the Tigers have been a Ferrari that can't reach fifth gear, a ridiculously gifted squad that rarely reaches its potential. I love coach Les Miles' fearless decisions in tight games, but he has had to make way too many of them. Ohio State wants to avenge last year's flop, which was uncharacteristic of a Jim Tressel-coached team. The Buckeyes' defense keeps things close, and they steal one in the fourth quarter.

Rittenberg's pick: Ohio State 23, LSU 21