At least link it right.

cfbstats.com - 2011 National Team Leaders

Two can play that game. Who has the least turnovers by a top 10 team? And by a fairly substantial margin.

cfbstats.com - 2011 National Team Leaders

what about turnovers?

Rhetorical.

In a close game turnovers and penalties are often the margin of victory.

I would say

1. Turnover margin
2. Average starting field position
3. Penalties

LSU will win the first 2 vs Bama. Give Bama the 3rd because it's going to happen.

LSU still wins.

When you only commit 3 1/2 penalties a game for less than 30 yards, it's impossible to dissect it any further.

True, but to illustrate Tyga73's point, here are the records of the 10 least penalized teams.

1. Navy - 2-6
2. Alabama - 8-0
3. Kentucky - 3-5
4. NC State - 4-4
5. Iowa - 5-3
6. Army - 2-6
7. Boston College - 2-6
8. Duke - 3-5
9. Georgia Tech - 7-2
10. Maryland - 2-6

3 teams with winning records. On the other hand, the records of the top 10 in turnover margin:

1. LSU - 8-0
2. Wisconsin - 6-2
3. Toledo - 5-4
4. Stanford - 8-0
5. Northwestern - 3-5
t-6. Boise St. - 7-0
t-6. Kansas St. - 7-1
t-6. Wyoming - 5-2
t-6. Alabama - 8-0
t-6. Ohio St. - 5-3

10 out of 11. Of course, there are more factors at play, but this has got to be significant.