NEW ORLEANS - Alabama sophomore linebacker C.J. Mosley dislocated his hip during the Crimson Tide's 21-0 skunking of LSU in Monday night's BCS championship game.
The injury occurred midway through the third quarter when Mosley intercepted Jordan Jefferson's pass intended for Spencer Ware and got tackled by Jefferson. He was taken off on a cart and received an ovation from Tide fans.
"C.J. Mosley is, we think, OK," Tide coach Nick Saban said Tuesday. "He had a dislocated hip, which they put back in. If the MRI comes out OK and there wasn't any damage to the joint, he'll be fine in six weeks. If there are any bone chips or fragments, they'll have to scope those out."
Mosley also recorded a lost-yardage stop, dropping Tigers tailback Alfred Blue for a 3-yard loss in the first quarter.
Alabama will hold its A-Day game on April 14.
All in the spin
Monday's pairing of SEC foes on ESPN drew an overnight rating of 13.8, making it the lowest-rated title game in the 14 years of the BCS. The previous low of 14.3 occurred in the Rose Bowl after the 2001 season, when Miami routed Nebraska.
Last year's title game between Auburn and Oregon, the first to be televised by ESPN, had a 16.1 rating.
ESPN had a more positive spin in a release Tuesday, referring to Monday's rating as "the second-highest of any program in cable television history." Such records started being kept in 1987.
Better this time
Saban has allowed himself to enjoy this season's BCS championship more than the one from two years ago, when he quickly shifted the focus to the next season. He also preferred the Gatorade bath he got in New Orleans compared to the one in Pasadena.
"I enjoyed the Gatorade bath two years ago, but I wasn't expecting it, and I almost got knocked out," he said. "So the players improved in terms of their ability to deliver. I improved on my ability to accept, and everybody was happy."
Quite a question
Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Bobby Hebert is a radio host on WWL in New Orleans, and he is the father of backup LSU offensive lineman T-Bob Hebert.
When Les Miles was introduced to the media following the loss, a passionate Hebert unleashed a memorable first question regarding the quarterbacks.
"Coach, did you ever consider bringing in Jarrett Lee, considering that you weren't taking any chances down the field?" Hebert said. "Now, I know Alabama's defense is dominant, but, come on, that's ridiculous. Five first downs. I'll tell from you the fans' standpoint: How can you not maybe push the ball down the field and bring in Jarrett Lee?
"So what if you get a pick-six? It seems like the game plan was not pushing the ball down the field."
Miles said the Tigers attempted such throws but didn't complete them. Monday was the first game all season in which Lee didn't enter, but he didn't play in the first half in any of the last five games.
Lords of the rings
Saban now has three BCS title rings, just like Tide senior cornerback Phelon Jones.
Jones became the first player to win three BCS rings Monday after Alabama beat his former team. The Mobile resident signed with LSU and redshirted in 2007, when the Tigers won the title, and he transferred to Tuscaloosa in the summer of 2009.