NEW ORLEANS — Les Miles squeezed out a smile, clenched his left hand nervously and extended his right hand toward Nick Saban. The coaches got in an awkward grasp, forced a bit of small talk, and then posed for the cameras behind the crystal trophy that only one of them can hoist toward the Superdome roof tonight.

This was the last of their pregame obligations — one final chance for Miles to deflect a query about whether top-ranked LSU is the favorite to make it to the BCS title next year, one more opportunity for Saban to show he’s got a life beyond his stranglehold on the storied program at No. 2 Alabama.

Now, let’s get down to business.

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