NEW ORLEANS - As required, Alabama's players whooped it up amid the confetti and fireworks, yet there was something muted about this championship celebration.

Turns out, these guys knew the ending to the sequel before they even got to the Big Easy.

For two months, the Crimson Tide stewed over its first meeting with top-ranked LSU. By the time the team touched down in New Orleans, there was little doubt in anyone's mind about the outcome. Not just win, but dominate.

Boy, did they ever.

With a smothering display of old-school football, No. 2 Alabama blew out the Tigers 21-0 in the BCS championship game Monday night, celebrated a bit and headed back to Tuscaloosa with its second national title in three years.

The Crimson Tide also claimed the top spot in the final Associated Press poll for the eighth time, tying Notre Dame for the most of any team in college football. Coach Nick Saban's team was an overwhelming choice with 55 of 60 first-place votes.

"We knew what we were capable of," offensive lineman Barrett Jones said. "I guess that's kind of arrogant, but it's the way we felt. We felt like we were capable of dominating, and we did that."

Alabama wins BCS championship Dave Martin / AP Top images   Click to view photos of title game action between Crimson Tide and Tigers. 'Bama blanks, boots LSU 21-0 for title   |  Stats CFT: 'Bama No. 1  |  Anti-Tide voters  |  Polls Estes: 'Dominating night' gives Tide worthy title Opinion: Keep dreaming, Okla. St.   |  Gundy whines Opinion: It was all about Saban   |  'Special team' CFT: Saban's defense never rests  |  'No fluke' Shelley 5 FGs redeem Alabama kickers QBs: McCarron steady  |  Jefferson falls apart CFT vote: 'Bama to repeat as national champs? 'Bama fans celebrate on Bourbon Street CFT: Trojans team to beat next season  |  Nope Tornado tragedy fueled Tide's title run CFT: MIles ripped after loss  |  No big raise   BCS title game winners  |  MVPs Ventre: And the BCS playoff winner would be ... CFT: Recruit's mom mad he picked Tide over LSU Rocky the Octopus aced his BCS picks

Credit one of the greatest defenses in college football history, a bunch of NFL-ready players such as Courtney Upshaw and Dont'a Hightower who made sure LSU (13-1) never had a chance.

When Jordan Jefferson dropped back to pass, he was swept under by a tide of crimson. When the LSU quarterback took off running, he must've felt like Alabama had a few extra players on the field. It sure seemed that way.

"It feels like a nightmare," Jefferson said. "We just didn't get it done on offense. Some defenses have your number, and Alabama had our number."

LSU beat the Crimson Tide (12-1) in overtime on Nov. 5, a so-called Game of the Century that was roundly criticized as a dud because neither team scored a touchdown.

The Rematch of the Century was next, after Alabama worked its way back up to second in the rankings to claim a spot in the BCS title game. Turns out, it was even less of a classic than the first meeting, much closer to "Speed 2" than the "Godfather II."

But the Alabama defense was a thing of beauty, putting its own spin on this postseason of high-scoring shootouts.

Video   Tide rolls past LSU Jan. 10, 2012: LSU head coach Les Miles and DB Tyrann Mathieu and Alabama head coach Nick Saban and QB A.J. McCarron discuss the Crimson Tide's 21-0 win in the BCS Championship.

"They are unbelievable," said Jones, relieved that he only has to go against them in practice. "That defense is as good as any defense I've ever seen. They rush the passer, they have awesome linebackers and they're great in coverage. They really don't have any weaknesses. They have to be as good as any defense ever."

LSU didn't cross midfield until there were less than 8 minutes remaining in the game. The Tigers finished with just 92 yards and five first downs, on the wrong end of the first shutout in the BCS' 14-year history.

"This defense is built on stopping them, and that's what we did," said Upshaw, the game's defensive MVP. "We wanted to come out and show the world we beat ourselves the first game. We wanted to come out and dominate from start to finish, and that's what we did."

The Crimson Tide, piling up 384 yards and 21 first downs, spent much of the night in LSU's end of the field, setting up Jeremy Shelley to attempt a bowl-record seven field goals. He made five of them, matching a bowl record. Then, as if responding to all the critics who complained that an offensive powerhouse such as Oklahoma State or Stanford should've gotten a shot in the title game, Alabama finally made a long-overdue trip to the end zone.

With 4:36 remaining, Heisman finalist Trent Richardson broke off a 34-yard touchdown run.

Mike Hewitt / Getty Images The Week in Sports Pictures

It was the lone TD that either of the Southeastern Conference powerhouses managed over two games, plus that overtime period back in November.

"It felt so good to get that touchdown against LSU," lineman D.J. Fluker said. "That's all we talked about. We said we were going to get (Richardson) a touchdown, and we did it."

On LSU's one and only trip into Alabama territory, the Tigers quickly went back, back, back — the last gasp ending appropriately with the beleaguered Jefferson getting the ball jarred from his hand before he could even get off a fourth-and-forever pass.

"We didn't do a lot different," Saban said. "We did some things on offense formationally. Our offensive team did a great job. Defensively, we just played well, played the box. Our special teams did a great job."

The coach has now won a pair of BCS titles at Alabama, plus another at LSU in 2003. He's the first coach to win three BCS titles, denying LSU's Les Miles his second championship. The Tigers will have to settle for the SEC title, but that's not likely to ease the sting of this ugly performance.

"I told my team that it should hurt," Miles said. "We finished second. It's supposed to hurt."

LSU simply couldn't do anything — running or passing. Kenny Hilliard led the Tigers with 16 yards rushing, while Jefferson was 11 of 17 passing for 53 yards, usually hurrying away passes before he was sent tumbling to the Superdome turf. He was sacked four times and threw a mystifying interception when he attempted to flip away a desperation pass, only to have it picked off because his intended receiver had already turned upfield looking to block.