Guess we just had to get through Christmas. After a rather blah initial media days between LSU and Oklahoma, the fires were stoked Thursday morning.

LSU, ranked No. 1 and the consensus favorite in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Saturday, finally started to let it be known that it might respect OU, but the Tigers feel like they’re going to roll in Atlanta.

And a big matchup entering the game on the field became an even more intriguing battle based on some words between LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and OU cornerback Parnell Motley.

Chase, winner of the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best receiver, doesn’t believe there is much anything Motley or anybody else in the secondary can do to slow him or the Tigers offense down.

“I see a lot of fast guys,” Chase said. “A couple of them have tight hips, but some of them are slow, too. I think we'll have good match-ups all around.”

Tight hips? Slow? In the DB vs. WR world, dems fightin' words. And when Motley was made aware of the comments, it took all the power in him to bite his tongue.

“That's crazy. Tight hips and physical? Watch the film, watch every play and what I do,” Motley said. “It's all good. We're going to sit in our corner. Our coach told us not to talk trash and be complimentary. That's what I do, be complimentary. They do a great job, great receivers, they have great hands and great speed. I'll leave it there.”

The verbal sparring brings a little fire into the matchup. Motley, for the most part, has really turned the corner this season in not allowing his emotions to get the best of him.

It’s not a coincidence that the only time Motley did do that, when he was ejected at Kansas State for kicking a player, was the only loss for OU’s season.

Words aside, it’s a big matchup. Motley has never played better ball than what he has coming down the stretch, and Chase is a very deserving Biletnikoff winner even if OU fans are always going to believe it should have been CeeDee Lamb.

Chase has 73 catches for 1,498 yards with 18 touchdowns. In Motley’s last two games? He’s forced two fumbles, recovered one, had an interception and held Baylor star receiver Denzel Mims to the goose egg in the catch department in the Big 12 championship game.

“CeeDee is a Biletnikoff winner, supposedly,” Motley said. “But shoot, that's how the game goes, man. But I still think there's no better receiver. You look at the film. You see anyone breaking tackles, six people in one play, you show me right now if he's not supposed to be a Biletnikoff winner.

“Man, he's my Biletnikoff winner over there. He does a great job of prepping me. I do a great job of prepping him. We're more than willing and ready for these guys and what they bring and what they're going to do.”

Motley has made his name for being physical. It’s something Roy Manning and Alex Grinch have preached to the secondary throughout this season. Get your hands on them, make it rough and see how the officials are going to call everything.

If Motley wants to go that way again, well, Chase says he ready.

“Nothing stands out about him too much,” Chase said. “I watch him. I don't know if he's that long. I don't really know how tall he is. I see he's kind of fast. He'll try to put your hands on somebody just a little bit, but I'm ready for it. I want him to put his hands on me.”

Oh yea?“Because he's going to feel me then,” Chase said.

The time for pleasantries is officially over between the Sooners and Tigers.